THE AMERICAN FLEET

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLI, Issue 3, 15 July 1908, Page 6

THE AMERICAN FLEET

Departure of the Fleet. Sixteen American battleships, under the command of Admiral Sperry, left San Francisco on Tuesday afternoon on the voyage to Auckland, calling at Honolulu en route. The battleship Nebraska did not accompany the fleet, owing to scarlet fever having occurred aboard, but joins it at Honolulu, when out of quarantine. The fleet auxiliaries preceded the battleships a week ago, and, after loading supplies at Honolulu, they will sail for New Zealand in advance of the fleet. Executive Preparations. The Executive Committee, at last Friday’s meeting, received reports from various sub - committees. The musical programme for the civic reception was outlined, arrangements being made for providing open air music on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of Fleet Week by four bands in Queen street and Karangahape-road. On the other three days of Fleet Week there are to be three bands, while on two nights, a drum and life band will parade. A sub-committee to arrange for the men’s entertainment at the Ellerslie race meeting wa& elected as follows: — Messrs Geo. Sayers, J. Rowe, M. Coyle, M. Casey, J. Court, J. K. Kneen, C. Bagley, A. E. Glover, J. Patterson, C. C. Daere, T. H. Giles, Geo. Rudd,, W. C. Somers (convener), J. «S. Dickson, P. • Mackay, C. Grey, M. J. Sheahan. The ~ Auckland Harbour Board has received a letter from Admiral Poore, of the Australasian Squadron, in which the writer states: — “It it will simplify the arrangements, 1 shall be glad to occupy berths, outside the portion marked ’Man-d’-war anchorage.’ 1 shall arrive on August 1, in H.M.S. Powerful.”

Mr. T. E. Donne, Government Commissioner, estimates that, according to the applications already received for accommodation there will be at least 20,000 visitors in Auckland during fleet week. Although there is yet a reserve of accommodation untouched by the Commissioners,, the housing of such a number will afford a knotty problem. H.M.S. Powerful hrs sailed from Sydney for Auckland, via Norfolk Island and Suva, to make arrangements in connection with the reception of the American Fleet.

Rotorua Arrangements.

The offer to the Government Commissioners (Messrs. T. E. Donne and T. H.

Hamer), of assistance in the decorations at Rotorua by the .Rotorua Chamber of Commerce, was recently accepted, and at a meeting of the Chamber on Thursday it was announced that the arrangements undertaken by that body were now completed. Every house has been canvassed, and it was stated .that every business place and private residence will fly at least one flag, while most will be otherwise decorated to a considerable extent.

The Government decorations are welt under way, and the bathhouse is rapidly approaching completion. Wagon loads of lycopodium and other greenery have been arranged for. The street decorations are to comprise streamers of bunting and festoons of greenery, etc., strung from poles.

“ The Best Advertisement.**

“The coming of the American fleet,” said Mr. Beehan, in the Legislative Council on Friday, “is the best advertisement New Zealand will evei; receive. They are visiting one of the most beautiful cities in New Zealand; they are visiting what Kipling has immortalised as “the last, the loneliest, and the loveliest” of places, and the Americans will go away thinking it amongst the brightest, liveliest and loveliest cities in the world. Members are welcome to come to Auckland to see the great fleet proudly sailing into the Waitemata, and I think all should assist in making the welcome to”the Americans, who are our own kith and kin, a warm and enthusiastic one.”

A Famous War Canoe.

The famous Waikato war canoe Taheretikitiki, “the Warrior’s Crest,” has arrived in Wellington from Lyttelton, on its way to Auckland, where it will be exhibited to the officers and men of the American fleet. The canoe is 85ft in length, overall, with a beam of sft amidships; her hull is different from those of other canoes mow in existence, in that it consists of three sections, which neatly dovetail into one another. The canoe has top-s-ides lashed on either side, and has a finished off bow and stern with, the lofty carved ornaments without which no war canoe is complete, the high stempost, with its flaunting feathers, and a carved figure-head, with two long hihi wands decked with white tufts of albatross feathers, projecting from its front like great feelers. The craft was cut out of a great kauri tree about 30 years ago, its owner, the late Paul Tuhaere, of Orakei, Auckland Harbour, presented it to old King Tawhiao, and. shipped it up to the Waikato River, where it was <,>ten manned to convey the late Premier, Governors, and other notables across the river to Mahuta’s village at Waahi. Several times it competed in most exciting races in Auckland Harbour, two of which were against men-of-war cutters.

The Japanese Welcome.

A remarkable welcome to the American Fleet is being planned in Yokohama.

A naval demonstration will be held, the Japanese . Navy greeting the visiting battleships. Twenty-four armoured warships and many smaller craft will participate.

Itinerary to the East.

The itinerary of the fleet after leaving Auckland has now been definitely fixed by the Navy Department. The fleet sails from here on August 15, and makes a five-day run of 1284 miles to Sydney, where August 20 is the scheduled date of its arrival. Seven days of gaiety, and the.i the battleships will hurry on, a three-days. ’cruise of 575 miles, to Melbourne, where they will drop anchor on August 29. A week of entertainments will intervene before the ships sail on to Albany, a distance of 1150 miles, and a s-ix-days’ cruise. The fleet will arrive at Albany on September 11, and will leave on September 17. After spending nearly six weeks enjoying the hospitality of the people of Australia, the long column of battleships will turn northward and take two weeks sailing to the Philippines, 3300 miles away. Nine days will be spent at the islands, filling coal bunkers and making necessary repairs, and then the ships will move on to Yokohama, 1750 miles distant. The fleet will reach the Japanese port on October 17, after taking seven days to make the cruise. Leaving Yokohama at the end of a week's round of festivities and entertainments, the fleet will divide, the first squadron returning to Manila, while the second squadron -makes a five-day run to Amejfe

China, 666 miles away. The second squadron will spend six days at that port, leaving on November 4, and arriving again at Manila on November 7.

Sydney’s Entertainment Fund.

At a meeting ot the Citizens’ Reception Committee, the Lord Mayor warmly condemned the parsimony of citizens in subscribing to the entertainment for the American Fleet.