AUSTBAmAN

Grey River Argus, 6 October 1913, Page 5

AUSTBAmAN

AUSTRALIAN FLEET

ARRIVAL IN HOME .WATERS

A MAGNIFICENT- RECEPTION

COMPLIMENT ARYi, i^B ANQUEJ i M - .. TOWN^HA^ft-^- W:H^-

(By. Electric Telegraphs-Copyright)

(Per Press Association).

• " \ ■.'■■;■■; SYDNEY, Oct: 4. • ; When the warship', Australia arrives to-day flying Admiral^P^tey 's -'flag,* Adr miral King-Hall's flag will' be hauled down. The latter ,ij} a farewell mes-. sago of thanks to all w^o.served vn r der him for their loyal support wishes success tq. the RoyaJ^AutTalian..Nav.y.

Messages , of •congratulation...' on-the arrival of the fleet includq. tilpseirom Mr. Massey,Sir Joseph Ward and Mr.. Borden. . . ■■ - '',■'■.

: Mr. Massey says Zealand •admires and congratujaves the Commonwealth on its patriotism and selfsacrifice of its people in .assisting .the EmiDirc by undertaking 'so sijlendid •a. contribution to th4 ; |(a.fral,UcfeQce: .'of* the •-■ Southern Seas. > New ZealanpV looks forward to an ; i <ia"rlj'; opportunity of ; welcoming- the > fleet. ;'.- , „ <

Mr. Borc^eii says that they can be assured that Canada.' jstands shoulder Co shoulder with Australia and otheroverscas dominions by. a : linn " fesblve to safeguard cur common 1 . ";.

Since an early hour there, haY been a s:ream. of people to 'the outer cliffs on the foreshore harbour to await the; arrival of the ships. ,y '..-' " '{./:' . ■- . ■','..' ■■■ V> SYDNEY^ Oct -'sv.i

Austoralia -to-day as ' celebrating.^, a notable event in wekoxninu. the nucleus j.:of 'her first war ; fleet , to it s home waters. ' ' ''"*•''•,.' ;/ ' .•■•.■

The declaration 6t ; 'aj public holiday^ combined with the brilliant weather greatly assisted' the efrorts .of", the aiitfiorities (in 'making -the.. function.an : impressive red 1 letter, day in the- pistor>' of the Commonw^artih; - ' ,"

■ ' From the ■=■. city itself a glow - with bunting and . gireenry, ...from, the wider.: spread suburb^, aind;. country districts.-; people had " commenced pouring, in£t an early hbtir .to the harbour faron r tages and outer, cliffs,- :rnasi»rng ;in the. parks and other points "vantage- until•by the time the first -warships moving in stately prbce's<siori_ , off the coast •. made their appearanGe in the distant offing the whole lkiexof the coast and : narbpur from beyond , Bondie to. -the anchorage ground X Farm Co-vn . was black /with humanity. :/ . ._• : : y The Avaters of tho harbour were, alive with decorated craft :ot all des criptipns. '.->'' >;U-, . . , There was intense; -enthusiasm ; everywhere. .' '■■'. ■ .", ':,'■:':''.. '■"' :■''/■; Bands were statipn.ed. at intervals, enlivening the^proceedings. ' ■ •-•:■■ It was a fine spectacle, as the line' headed by the A.ustralia followed; ; by:he Sydney, the' Melbourne the Encbunter, the Wareg6,v the Yarra. and the Paramatta 4&fc lsegular dintetrvals s wun g round : t and entered - the? heads slowly and steamed, down the harbour to tihe anchorage. ' - •.;. - • •.;

They were gireetpid; by ;wide wafted cheers from, 'the mult Stud© strains from the bands and bellrihging. ; A large choir/Of public scliooji child rcn 'stat:ioned near the heads sang patriotic songs in deafening 1 chorus. ( . The hundreds of' ste.am crafts' •' wel- ; coming whistles- were; .stopped; while the singing w^as in,, progress as the fleet entered. /' \ '•=... - : . •■-; At ten" o'clock thirty' steamers conY veying the Federal -an^ State " Ministers and other" distinguished ;. persons met • th«; fleet rout&iidc - : the heads and followed •■ ■ Vt^'in : r?'""^'~;f: ; -.- . '■«'•;■ .'■'■' :'"' '.'■■_..' As tlic'fleet prpceedjß^ down -the. har. hour; it \v^§: s^u^' by; the . Kig. gxins, : the Qam^an -replying;- r , ' " . ' *'• During th«'^tern'obn'>m^y. c offic* rs^ ahdymen"vis)te<d'^aMdJwick;;rac^^ . : Great; cjroiy^ vie^pct t^e ]chy jiand. haT^bur"iilu ;^atioh^ v . ; ■■:/■ '-.:•>... -"; V; The public and- majny.privatei.buildings were ablate : aiid'.%ere,^etc many^ fiiie'j'^sigii^;;' ■■^, ¥^-,.,^;i! i - v\ -.•■'•;,-' There a' ! : Venetian ;in the harbour. \ ■ ; -j. ■;:• . /a. ;'; . . .^ „; . >; The warlhips '■ w]|r^'jbe?u?|i^yt out^. lined. ■" ' : .')> : .. ■':'• ■■^■. -?;■••■ ■ x :'fh:r- '■■'. :.V;.--r-;.:^ , The" great '^ear^li^hn^splay i w^ especially effectived; ;/' >?' ; ; \-''-\;y.^.-;j '^ I,6^^ennian preyed a^brUn ant; represenjtjat|re; jat^Fjwi^l: Goveriiment the Town Hall, at night -lit nonc^^r Patey/ andVthe^j^ *' /. : . ' ' • The prc^eamgs^d ;^e^es ; jwcfe ? marked . wrth-lqyaf eji^siasm.;.;;;;v " .'h : -v ■:.; .^HJEABA^UE^^^^v -..,>.;, •.: Speakers at' the. Town- Hall, banquet included" Sil^^tijickiand^ Hbn- & took, Mr. AVFis,hef; Pefencc/ -and ' v Adm^s r ;PateXV:and t v:.The;° ; keynote ->dE> the ■ -was Australia's pfide'Vin ' jts; ow^fle^ vand;.;^ |h(5 duty; involyed'a^ a- unit;pf enpipire d'eie.ute.r '■'''■-'-■.■■ •'.^■';v';.'v : ';-'..' ; Ijbrd Denmah said-ithat^h^<lay,vhad; been - • reached -, the: /partinl^ .of^;.^he waysj Jb;ecause : the" Australian; had.;)?een hatotle'c^ over; by : ti{^lmper4^l au^thiorities^^to^ the^^mmph wealthy ; of; Ausitraliaj- Whicii: tpofc;ii^ its.ownbbur- . matvai mattes: _.-. ,; >■/.;- ■.'/, ■'. i '"■.■•■' \^ Adm^al^in.g-^ij; ; ;^hp:se;. fla# |i^led)|:3b\vn 'f^3" Patey!' s.. Ixbistedlwrhien ; theflfeet; arnyedj i| , affectionate farewell , to ;people; : <i| .^ustraiia.. : He '■ :said)>hat an . hisitojic >nd life of the Gprri'mpriwealth. She^ must now \act as the .AVardeii ;bf ; the^ Marches: to v protect^ itle ioutppsts^pf r:^h^ pire ■:.iri;V. the ; |*acific._H „<The; times ; v had^ opme^ when : %hg ;s^afesmen pLthe pire m vs t ifiVplvc ' a;■ mbthop^whei-eby . the ' dpinuiibnsf might,. b^;;bxougit . ;^p closer'- relaionship; ;ir\y the,^coun^Us^of ,the ■■ Mother Gouh^^pjecially regard^ ing the naval^'defen cc , pt ; the Empire^

}\ ,Torday r laf gc" ; sectipns;tof |the ; niera^ iier^of tho^fleet^a^^i^ rades, mat ching.'^rbugrhv jhe r-c-rpw^. cd; ; ;stFeets.{v.- ; .-. v' ! - ■>.'-''> : ; ; ; ;-;??:..>V,..-vV. ;~J : T-he. ships were open' fo. the public and cro\Vds visited ' , \. ''•■■'■