The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-08-07
His Gun Crew at an Average Range of
1900 Yards Made Eighty Per
Cent of Hits.
SPEECH BY THE PRESIDENT
WHO WAS ABOARD THE WAR YACHT
DURING THE CONTEST,
And Who Praised the Marksma m 81 n
OF American Naval Gunners-AIl
the Crew Rewarded.

GREENPORT, l.. l., Aug. 6.-President
Roosevelt to-day participated on board the
Mayflower in mimic warfare. The man
euvers which the ship executed precisely
those which might have to be gone through
in an active battle.
The gun practice of the Mayaower in
dicates that the men behind the guns on
board American war vessels are even more
efficient and accurate than they were at
the memorable battle of Manila bay or at
the decisive victory achieved by the Ameri-
can feet off Santiago. The Disappointment
can war demonstrated the fact that the
United States navy contained fine marks
men and the presence aboard the May
flower to-day of President Roosevelt was
evidence of his desire personally and by
every means in his power to foster and i'm
prove this important branch of the work
of the navy. To this end II is the purpose
of the President to urge the necessity of
continued target practice by the crews of
American warShipS.
After witnessing the work of the crew Of
number gun-the winners of the contest
the President personally went to the gun
pointer, w. j. O'Donnell, and shaking his
hand cordially said: You did well-ex-
cellently." In an embarrassed manner,
ODonnell touched his forelock and really
such fine work.
The shooting of the winning gun crew
was phenOmenally good. At an average
range of 800 yards they made so per cent.
of hits. They fired twenty shots and made
sixteen hits, two of them being actual
bulls eyes. At the conclusion of the tar
get practice the crew was assembled on
the quarterback TO witness the presenta-
ton of the prizes offered by the President.
Briefly Mr. Roosevelt addressed the Of
ficers and men as follows:
II wish TO say a word to all the officers
and enlisted men of my qualification at the
show UP they have made to-day. l hope
this will be but the beginning of prac-
tce which will make the Mayflower stand
as the crack gunship of the navy. One or
two of the gun crews had hard luck, nota-
bly, the marines of the port one-pounder,
the gun which fired twenty-eight shots.
The target drifted, and that makes the
record no fair test as regards that crew
L am pleased with the showing you have
made, and l expect next time to see a
material Improvement. Some Of the crew
show the need of it. Now. just one word
to the enlisted men and the sailors both
TO the men behind the gun and to those i'm
the engine room, for without the men in
the engine room the men at the guns can do
nothing.
1T is a credit to the navy as whole
when the crew of a single ship does we'll
Every man who does well reflects credit
upon the navy; every man who does badly
reflects discredit upon it, 1 know / can
count upon all on board this ship. as upon
dill ABOARD dll OlneT SHIPS IN the navy. /
expect that each man Will so do his duty
as TO reflect credit upon the navy as a
whole. l should like now to see the win
ming crew"
When the four men comprising the crew,
w. J. o DOnnel, gun pointer. E. Crowley
G. c. Grimm and y. W. Hildebrand had
stepped forward by order of Lieutenant
w. W. Phelps, the executive officer the
President. addressing them, said Il am
very much pleased with the work Won
have done to-day. and l want to say that
If you keep up this record il will be diff
fcult TO find a better siX-pOunder crew in
the navy. In the training of first-class
gun pointers is the solution Of the problem
of obtaining the highest efficiency of the
navy"
The President then shook hands with the
members of the successful crew. and as
he did so pressed a five-dolar bill into the
palm of each. but giving $50 to O'Donnell
Adverting later TO his giving OF prizes
TO the successful gun crew, the President
announced that he was in cores pondence
with the secretary of the navy regarding
the matter OF offering prizes for speciaI
excellence in gun pointing He believes
there is no better way TO improve the mark
manship OF naval gunners than TO excite
among them friendly emulation. The Pres
ident after giving the prizes then called
the petty officers OF the ship about him
and, in a brief talk. impressed upon them
the Importance of performing well their
| duties
At ) o'clock the President left the Nav.
flower for the SylDh where he Joined Mrs
Roosevelt. Saluted by both the Mayfower
and the Chase. the training ship Of the
revenue cutter service the President SAILED
! for Oyster Bay. He will not land at Saea-
more Hill until tomorrow morning.