Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-05-02
TheRreSident
Gives Diplomas
To Graduates of Naval Academy Adm0niSheS Them OF
Their D0ty-H0n0r of Country In Their Hands
Value of Preparedness in An Things

matter what may be our material
wealth or the high average OF our citl-
zenship. 1t should therefore be an
object OF prime Importance for every
patriotic American to see that the navy
Is constantly built up and above all
that Il Is kept to the highest point OF
efficiency both IN material and per-
sonpel II cannot be too often repeated
that IN modern war and especially IN
modern naval war the chief factor IN
achieving triumph Is what has been
done In the way Of thorough prepare
tlon and training before the beginning
OF the war. II Is what has been done
before the outbreak of war that Is all
important
After the outbreak all that can be
done Is TO use to the best advantage the
great war engines and the seamanshp,
Workmanship and general practical eff
ficieney. which already have been pro-
vlded by the forethought Of the ma
tional legislature and by the admins
tratiye ability, through a course OF
years, Of the navy department bat
tleship cannot be improyised, 1t takes
years to build, and the skill Of the ON"
GERS and crew in handling It Alright can
likewise never be improyised, but musl
spring from use and actual sea SER
vice and from the most careful, jealous
and systematic training
You to whom give these diplomns
now Join the ranks Of the officers OF the
United States navy. You enter a glor-
ious. service. proud Of its memories Of
renown You must keep, ever In your
minds, the thought OF the supreme
hour. which may come when what you
do viii forever add 10 or detract from
this renown Some Of you will have
TO do your part in helping to construct
the ships and the guns which you use,
You need 10 bend every energy toward
making these ships and guns in all
their details the most perfect OF their
kind. throughout the world The ship
must be seaworthy, the armament
fitted for the best protection TO guns
aud man. the guns in all their mechan-
iclsm ft TO do the greatest possible
execution In the shortest possible time.
Every detail, whether Of protection TO
the gun crews, Of rapldity and sureness
In handling the ammunition and work
ing the elevating and revolving gear,
or of ouickness and accuracy In sight
ing, must be thought out far
In advance, and the thought
carefully executed In the
the acskxi work. The best ships and
guns $40 the most costly. mechanism
are utterly valleless II ~ men arc
not trained to use them TO the utmost
possible advantage. From now on
throughout your lives. there can be nc
slackncss on yLur part. Your duty
must ic present with you. waking and
sleeping You have got TO train your
selves and YOU have got TO train those
under YOU, in the actual work Of sea-
manshln, IN the actual work Of gun
merry II the day for battle comes, you
will need all that you possess Of bold
ness, .lll determination, ability ia
bear punishment and instant readiness
in an emergency. But though without
these Qualities you can do nothing. yet
even then the best you can do will be
little IL you have not had the fore
though. and purpose to train the en-
listed men under you. Officers and men
alike must have the sea habit. Of
fcers ana men ankle must realize that
In batt.e the only shots that count are
the shots that hit, and generally vic
tory viii lie with the side whose shots
hit ofttnest. craftsmanship and sea
manshil these must be the two prime
objects Of your training both for your
selves and for die men under you"
At -" conclusion OF his address and
distribution OF diplomas, the president
requested to be taken to the hospital
where Cadet Emery S. Land OF Wyo-
ming member Of the graduating
class, is lying Ill., Sitting up in bed the
sick boy receive his diploma from the
president who made few appropriate
remarks in whicn he expressed the
hope ihat he would soon be out. The
president was lfen given an oppor-
tunlty &c witness the customary prank
Of the plebs throwing the graduating
class out Of doors, which afforded a
great deal Of amusement After lunch
con, the president and party went
aboard the torpedo boat Gwynl for a
short sail on Chesapeake bay, after
which they will take the train for
Washington.