Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-04-28
STAFF Correspondence Of The Evening Star
OK BOARD H. NJ s. BLAKE

AOu Ol Oulttu StaSes uaNt " De
proud Of in what you have done toward the
building of a navy The speaker was Admiral
Hopkins He in his cabin. and within
range of his undimmed vision were the white
hulls within which American seamanship and
valor are supreme. ''Our plans are so very
much alike and the similarity between oul
methods OF construction bear such a close re-
semblance that comparison. in point of quality,
would be ffr from easy. There are generally
two ways-srd sometimes two good wsys-oi
doing the same thing. Where we disagree as
to designs or execution il may be that each OF
US Is, in a sense, right; we have merely
done that which we believed to be
the best. There Is no reason why you
should not have a good navy. and. if you
continue upon the lines already laid down,
you will have one Of which not even the m ost
critical need be ashamed. The great work OF
building up the floating instruments OF power
has been commenced at suspicious time
Other nations have been experimenting Tor
years as to guns. and engines. and tonnage, and
rig, and a lot Of other important matters. You
have come IN at a period when II Is possible to
reap the results Of your neighbors industry
But you have been industrious yourselves and
have made many valuable discoveries In re-
turn for some OF the good things you have
borrowed of US we propose TO take your nickel
steel and Harveyized armor plate, and just as
sOon as some of your many very bright
officers discover something else worth
adopting shall doubtless avail ourselves Of
it, OF Course know very little OF the in ternal
economy of your ships and can express no opin-
ion as 10 the discipline or the methods of in
structiOn but the chances are that you are just
a. good - we. ! feel satisfied that in many re-
spects the administration of our navy is
thoroughly good. Vaguely have an idea as TO
the relations of your administrative officers
with those whom they command and | under
stand yOur terms of enlistment are very brief.
On that point we differ. | know practically
nothing of yOur regulations. but tine proba-
bilities are that they adapted to the condi-
tlOns with which YOU have TO deal. Our
regulations are perfect. Then as to the
manner in which respectively turn
out officers. This Is another question to which
there two sides. If a thorough ail-around
education Is an absolute prerequisite to the
making OF an officer he can undoubtedly be
better Taught ashore than afioat and there YOU
have what you PROBABLY believe to be superior
ity; but If practical training board ship
from an early age. if the planting in tine young
minds of the theory and practice
Of never-fGilinE obedience and ability
TO command. l. what is needed TO
produce Il naval officer. then we the best
off. Your vessels. said the admiral. he
glanced once more out of an open port at the
Philadelphia. ARE just as good those pos
sessed nv nation IN the world. Your first
tld-r are Just rs cdphOlc OF luEuilS out
hrst-claSs work as any on our side Of the water.
You have started of with a navy that in vessels
should be equal to anything We have got. You
have much 10 be proud of.
SIR JOHN AND HIS FIREPLACE.
Demagogues who howl about the aristocracy,
which Is SO prominent in England's social.
political and professional life. might have
learned a lesson had they been on board the
Blake the other evening. The big cruiser was
ar.A~ Ia lT..fr vrhn +iaer5 sha "a
was in his cabin. Above deck the wind blew
most kesnly and some OF the ch,lliness pene
trated even the conmanGer-in-chiefs sanctum.
One OF the most decorative and comforting
features of that apartment Is stove, which
broadly represents open fireplace. 1t Is.
when in full working order. a very cheerful and
comforting something. but once in a while II has
hts and AT those periods will easily stir up the
average man to such extent that Ian
guage calculated TO provoke breach of the
peace would be entirely permissible The fire.
place had n fit on Monday evening" but instead
Of calling upon the chief engineer. or the lead
ing stoker. or the marine guard, or any OF the
many Other dignitaries who are supposed 10 %
on points of intimacy With stoves and things
In general. the admiral himself got down on his
knees and go worried the recalcitrant blaze
that IL came oGt of the sulks and developed a
pleasing quantity Of warmth Nothing extra
ordinary about that, perhaps. for there doesu {
seem TO be any good reason WIZ the most
prevent vice admiral who is X. c. b. and
the pos-es-Or of valuable title from occasion
ally driving his fingers with poker IN the
ed ut to- make fire burn. But II viii be adj
mitted that the general tendency among people
who are wealthy enough TO hire servants is 10
leave such matter in he hands OF those who
are paid TO attend 70 them. Admiral Hopkins
NAV DC an aristocrat, and in the common ac-
eep;iOn Of the term he probably II. but he
J. several hundred per cent more democratic
than the demagOgues who are forever rending
the ianoceu- atmosphere with their insincere
tempts at OTatOry-
PEw SUGGESTIONS BORN OF INFERENCE.
There Is but one material improvement
which could possibly suggest az TO the Ameri-
can navy" said one OF the Blakes officers
while We we: charming up the waters south OF
the Scotland hght-hip. ''and that IL as to the
making OF yOGr officers. Aiter having studied
this problem for some time am thoroughly
satisfied shat those who axe TO command your
ships il wears To- come Sd yuld enter the service
when they are very much Younger than twenty
wears Of age. and. ~ i understand IL. That il
the lowest figure ut which graduation from
your naval school j. possible. BY that time
character IN "a man l. Irettv well formed and
MANY Of the things which ful-grown ensign
has to do are distaste:GI To- HIM because he has
100 exalted an opinion OF his rosition-natursl
perhaps. Ia one who has been highly
educated for such AZ extended period
In conversation with some Of YOUR senior
officers / have been informed that il is at time.
il not difficult AZ least inconyenient TO secure
that prompt obedience upon which all dis
eipiiue restr and the difficulty springs entirely
from the fact that the junior officers are too
oil for the duties they have to perform. We
commence with our boys when they are from
thirteen 10 fourteen and a half wears of age
and two wears after entering they cease to bs
cadet. and become midshipmen- While theil
mind. are still plastic the lessons OF obedienc,
are taught. they could not be three or toul
or five wears later. The boy of fifteen il iTu
questionable and enthusiastic, and Will occa
sio.ally admit that he knows nothing on tn
subiect ON which he has to be instructed, bu
the man o. twenty c. twenty-oIe. who ha
gone through polishing course for four years
= apt to know II all. and thus there is gen
eraliv friction where there should be onl,
the srnoothest working. The young fellow VIII
has Just reached his majority and who is. as h
believes. IN undIsputed possession OF all the in
formation that could be acquired, is very hkel,
TO be what call 'prig, and Is invariably
most undesirable officer. Then il Is of grea
importance tina; the youngsters should learn .
command - well as obey. for unless there ex
let. in the officer powerful ability to contro
the service would fall TO pieces in a very httl
While. II may strike yOu as odd to see boy o
fifteen or sixteen commanding a big boats crew
bat assure YOU he does i; Just well
one with ten times his experience could III
i. held responsible for the behavior OF his men
and If any of them should leave the boat Will
il is under ms charge and they han
ran to get drunk or misbehaye them