Omaha daily bee., 1896-11-14
AMERICAS GLORIOUS NAVY
Secretary Herbert Addresses the Society of
Naval Architects,
REVIEWS PAST WORK OF MEN AND SHIPS
Bnnuuct Closes the Fourth Annual
Mcctinp-Onc Hundred mud Eifty
Guests Present, Including Many
Famous Mcn-Thc Tonsts.

NEW YORK, Nov 13.-Tho fourth an
nual meeting OF the Society OF Naval Archi-
tects and Marine Engineers, which closed
today after two-days session, was wound
up tonight with banquet at Delmouico's,
Covers were laid for l5o guests and ranged
around the table at which President Clement
\. Griscom presided were the guests Of
honor among whom were Secretary H. \.
Herbert, Commodore Sicard, commandant Of
the navy yard; Rear Admiral Erben, re-
tired; Captain Mertyago OF the Russian
legation; George ILL., Daniels, Nathaniel &.
HerreshofT and Charles II. Cramp of Phil
adelphia. President GriscCm toasted the
president OF the United States, which was
drunk standing. The second toast was
the United States navy, which was responded
to by Secretary Herbert. He spoke OF the
country's magnificent modern navy and Of
the skill and patriotism of the men en-
listed In this branch of the nations de-
fenses. lie spoke particularly OF the glories
of the American navy, saying
Take the personnel of our navy alto
gcthcr, line officers, stan officers and en-
listed men, and they are worthy of our
ships and our guns, and worthy, too, of
the heritage Of glory left by Paul Jones,
and Decatur, and BainhrldgC, and Nc
Donough, and Perry. and Han. and the
other gallant tars who made famous the
name of the American sailor I'm the early
history of our country. our navy began
its career i'm glory and II has never Yet
missed an opportunity of adding to It's
reputation. No more splendid pages Will
be written than those which record the
deeds of the confederate and union naN!"s
of buchanan and ScmmCs on the one side,
of WuSow and Gushing ana Porter and
FarraEut on the other. Consider FOR a mo-
ment the services to the cause of the union
that were rendered by the navy during the
civil war Consider too. the brave enc
mics IL encountered and tnat IT lost during
the struggle about thirty vessels by the
new and terrible torpedo alone. The navy
of the union blockadcd the whole coast
of the ConfcdCraCy. prevented the impOrta-
tion of cotton that would have brought in
gold to sustain the currency that was
maintaining the confederate army; it cap
turcd New orleans. the principal city of
the ConfcderaCy, ana Mobile, the greatest
city on the gulf: II established ana rlain-
tanned at points along the .hore lines end
far into the interior of the ConiederacY
dcpots of supply and bases of operation
for the armies of the union. II severed the
communications between confederate
of war. Taken altogether. II Is perfectly
safe to say that the service rendered
could not have been accomplished by the
efforts of 100000 men on the mnrch. The
veterans of that great war are rapidly
passing into history but there need be
no fear of these In whose hands they vii!
leave the honor of our flag. Let me assure
YOU that whenever and wherever our navy
is called upon 1t will be found on the alert,
that work may be. ! sincerely hope 1t will
not soon have any battles to fight; IL will
best serve its purpose If by its RISE its
strength and clearly apparent readiness
for service II shall be able to maintain the
right OF our citizens abroad. to aid our
diplomacy and to command our peace all
around the world without firing a gun; but
II II shall at any time come to pass. as
come il may, that readiness Is not enough,
hut that II foreign foe must be encountered
in actual combat then | promise you on
behalf of the officers and men of the navy
that they will do their duty I'm manner
worthy of all the glorious memories that
cluster around the nag of the United
States.
The other toasts were: "The Congress of
the United States" Congressman Bedford;
"The Press" Joseph Howard; The Mari
time Exchange" Hugh Kelly; "The Society
OF Mechanical Engineers" c. H. Loving,
engineer-in-c n-chief; THE Naval Militia" Cap
tain ]. w. Miller; Our Society" Chief OF
Construction Hichborn; "The Shipbuilders."
General Thomas w. Hyde w. II. webb,
George B. Daniels and Stevenson Taylor
were called upon for short talks.