FINE SPEECH BY ADMIRAL SPERRY.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume L, Issue 12145, 11 August 1908, Page 5

FINE SPEECH BY ADMIRAL SPERRY.

EXPRESSION OF STIRRING SENTIMENTS.

a V • ', AUCKLAND.. August 10. Admiral Sperry,; .replying to the Mayora- E t»ecft:;at i .3;ho. civic' reception said: Nothing,can give mo more «l«asuro than to accept, this address as a most cordial. and gracious souvenir of welcome extended; to tha fleet which I ftavn. tlio honour:: to represent. It is peculiarly fitting that them should b" the strongest possible ties of amity and iriendship between two nations of coni--55i.-K cojnmon h]ood > eomnion •»Wf"'/r' C! )m? 1')l1 aspirations and'?}f at friendship 13 doubly cemented-by-infJrS - that j W° rOalise that two nations have done so much for the peaca of the-world and are a large factor in everything that tends'to happiness and piogreas throughout the world (Applause.) The'lmperial-interests of both great . nations 111 the Pacific are the ■^1' {ttw at tha lowest pp nt of the Dominion, to tha uttermost point of the Phillipine-s, and froinXw Zealand at the -north-east towards ?/ U/- an £? d the /sast-of the United c-uates. ,Tlierois an luibroken chain of common interests, common interests which to-day are J only beginning to develop common interests the magni- ■ tr.de, of which it is almost impossible tor us to appreciate. It-is growing from' day to day with the. expansion of trade and the opening of the Panama Canal And common invests, need common protection. It is' very well, and it is essential, that the principles of peace should ho settled by the Hague Conferonce.^ but it is essential "that there should be some guarantee that those principleswill be followed and the two great fleets: which- meet together in Auckland and with common interests make for that peace:-(Applause.) They make for.- Anglo-Saxon peace throu°-li-out the Pacific and. throughout the world..,lt i^ fitting: that Imperial interests should ba recognised as common and aro being promoted by our two cxecutivo..,heaas,:.but it k peculiarly ntting that on this occasion we Bhould recogmso tho faetHbhat the basis of* mondshiD between our two great natums must lay in people, and it is particularly -acceptable'--that we should nnd here a .greeting, extended to us from every city, boroughs, and municipalities in every part of New Zealand. streets it is. peculiarly gratifying ; ; iW;.seo;that\feach county and borough and_ each municipality has-sent a.token ot its .welcome. They are from representatives of the people and represent their sentiment* where the people are. imable to represent thems«lvea by word of ;/ mouth as ddms all this morning in the.; streets—(laughter and cheers)—to our very great gratification. Ships can be., bought with money, hut, men. and'souls' cannot be bought with money—(applause)—and tho lire of our fleet, which we cannot replace-if it is ill-trained and not selfrespecting, lies in the men of the fleot to wjiom you havei'extended so cordial gracioug, and generous a welcome. On behalf o£ tho officers iand men I thank you all most cordially for your welcome. Nothing has been ieft undone or unplanned that the heart, can desire.