AMERICAN FLEET.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LI, Issue 16805, 11 August 1925, Page 7

AMERICAN FLEET.

ARRIVAL At AUCKLAND.

PERFECT CONDITION S.

AN T ENTH USI ASTIO W KLCOM i

iPer Press AssoetaVun AUCKLAND, this day. The American fleet was sighted from Tiritiri at 8-30 this morning. It is due to enter the harbor at noon and drop anchor at 12.30. ’t he weather is tine but cloudy. ’I liesea is smooth.

There is every prospect of an en thusiastic welcome, under perfect con ditions.

ROUNDING NORTH HEAD

AN IMPOSING SPECTACLE

(Per Press Association. 1

AUCKLAND, this day

Eight battleships and three auxiliaries , rounded North Head at noon, and steamed slowly to anchorage in line up stream to the Prince's Wharf. Their progress was watched by a great crowd of spectators ashore and afloat. A squadron of ’planes ascended as the flagship entered tho port. They preceded the warships in formation, and created a great impression.

Although there was no general holiday vast crowds assembled on all the vantage points on the foreshore, and witnessed tho majestic progress of the great ships to their respective aneheifages.

VISIT TO WELLINGTON.

WEATHER GLORIOUSLY FINE

(Per Press• Aftwv'tßMon-' - WELLINGTON, ’• this day. At 10.15 tlie detachment of tin- American fleet to visit Wellington was approaching the Heads. The vessels will be in harbor on schedule time. The day is gloriously line.

THE ARRIVAL AT LYTTELTON.

A ROUSING RECEPTION.

fPer Press Association. 1 CHRISTCHURCH, this day,

In perfect weather twelve destroyers and the cruiser flagship Omaha of the American fleet, steamed into Lyttelton, while nine aeroplanes circled overhead.

Thousands of spectators lined the wharves, hills, and roads, and gave the squadron a rousing.reception.

VISIT TO DUNEDIN

ACCORDING TO SCHEDULE

(Pei Press Assoeintion,,

DUNEDIN last night

Tho lookout at Otago Heads this morning was keen with the expectancy of previous wireless warning of the approach of the fleet. Seven o,’cloak had been received as the time of the fleet’s arrival. At 20. minutes to 7 lights began to wink on the horizon to the southward of the heads. It was the fleet emerging from the darkness. As the first lights grew brighter other lights followed, until in the far distance tiniest, specks of illumination indicated 1 that the far-flung line of the fleet was steering a course for the north, the larger vessels in the lead. From this imposing line of twinkling light the detachment bound for Otago harbor began to fall out. As expensive ones are not in great- demand the Otago division stood in for the heads, and the other vessols -continued to steam northwards along the coast to northern ports. Fifteen ships in a. bunch required piloting up the Otago harbor. The pilot staff numbers two pilots, besides the harbormaster, who is " himself chief pilo,t. " The chief pilot, is a resourceful man, andl favorably known to sea captains. lie had drawn on all available resources to supplement his staff, and visiting captains with harbor exemptions were . amongst the crowd of pilots that at an early hour awaited the arrival of the. fleet-.: Better ten minutes too early than ten seconds too late seemed to figure in the programme of the waiting pilots. The waiting time occasionally prompted reminiscence, and old salts recalled the fact that American whalers were frequent visitors at Otago Heads over half a centuiy ago. Someone remembered that paddle steamers from Panama traded to Otago harbor back in the days mentioned at old identity gatherings. Reminiscence got down to cases, but this was quickly cut out when the lights of the fleet appeared on the horizon. As the flagship drew into the heads a pilot boarded her and she passed in at 7.30 a.m. Others followed at intervals of from ten lo fifteen minutes, and at 10.17 the last- vessel passed into tho harbor. The wind was light and tho big, seas that had been running n.t the head's, for a week past had subsided to a moderate swell. The fleet passed in without a hitch or hindrance.

Tho chairman of the Harbor Board, The Mayor of Dunedin, and other officers were speedily on the scene, extending formal welcomes, the whole fleet being soon berthed. “We want some sunshine,” was the first, remark of one of the men spoken to. He said they had had a. comparatively fine passage over, but tho weather had been dull. ' In Australia they had bad a real fine time, and were looking forward to seeing Now Zealand. They were feeling the cold here very much, but it was because they had ju-st come from the tropics. Shortly after 10 o'clock large parties of school children arrived, most of them carrying either the Stars and Stripes or the New Zealand Ensign, and their cheers of welcome made some noise. Later a formal reception was held aboard tho flagship, Rear-Adviral Marvell, in replying, said that on behalf of himself and 1 his officers and men, ho wished to thank them for the welcome that had been extended them. They had looked forward to the visit with great anticipation, and when they fi.nw tho beautiful hills that morning, they realised what a glorious place New Zealand must. be. They were very glad to be iri Dunedin, but regretted that there bad beori unfortunate misunderstanding as far as the day of arrival was concerned. It had been carried out, however, according to the schedule lik-h had been drawn up, a copy of which he hadi in his hand. The visit to Dunedin will last ten d-.vs.' during which a round of enter tuininents will be held including a special trotting meeting. Many thousands were allowed ashore from the warships to-dla.y, and the general subject- of remark was the cosmopolitan nature of the personnel.

THE UNEXPECTED ARRIVAL! CONTRAST WTTIf BRITISH TABS. (Special to the Herald.* DUNEDIN, this day. Owing to some official bundling, the Dunedin destroyer section of the .American fleet, in command of RearAdmiral Marvell, arrived unexpectedly vester lav,morning, instead of on Tues ; day. Bv 10 -a.m. fourteen destroyers we-v berthed. The ‘crowd was yerv small at. first, but increased to thousands

as the day wore on. The public reception seemed cold and critical, many contrasting the physique, bearing, diso.pkne, etc., with those of the British tars, greatly to the disadvantage of the visitors. After an official welcome by the Mayor and return visits, fifty per cent, of the men were given short, leave, and roamed tho-nfv till the evening. Dunedin was well In-flagged daring the day, and at, night the Government, building? and business places were brilliantly illuminated, all conveying New Zealand's welepine to the U.B.A. fleet. Ten days’ entertainment programme ’s now being carried out.