The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-11-22

BONAPARTE RECEIVES SILVER
SERVICE FOR NEWEST ONE.
she's the Connecticut and Gov. Roberts
OF the Nutmeg State Made the Presen-
tatiOn-Flne Gathering OF BlucJackets
-NOrwaik Gives stand OF COlors.


IatiOn-FIne Gathering OF B~iucJackets
-NOrwak Gives stand Of COlors.
Gov. Roberts Of Connecticut presented
yesterday to Uncle Sans fine new battle
ship, the Connecticut, at her dock in the
Brooklyn navy yard, a silver service con-
tributed by the people Of his State. Secre-
tary Of the Navy B~onaparte acknowl-
edged the gift for the navy. making some OBJ
servations on the advantage OF varships
even in an age of universal arbitration.
Gov. Roberts came down from Hartford
on a special train with his STAFF and a party
OF about $50 invited guests, transferring
to the naval yacht Sycamore at Mott Haven.
Mr.. Bonaparte, who made a speech be-
fore a civil service reform organization in
New Haven the night before, came down
alone on another train.
The exercises took place on the after
deck of the big battleship. The blue
jackets we're drawn up on the bridge, the
turrets and the decks. Another big fighting
ship across the slip was taking in coal to
the faint strains of Waltz Me Around
Again, Willie when a q~uartermaster I'M
covered the shining silver service and
Gov. Roberts began his speech. He said
that the United States Navy practically
had been founded by Commodore Hopkins,
q Connecticut man. This was the fourth
Connecticut to bear the flag OF the country
on the seas. He expressed his particular
satisfaction that the ship had been given
into the command OF Capt. Swift, a Con-
necticut man, and then presented the SER
vice as a gift from the people Of the State.
Capt. Swift on behalf OF the ship said that
the Connecticut contained more applica-
tons Of mechanical ingenuity to the various
problems OF working a big fighting ship
than any other bsttleship yet constructed
In the world, and was thus a. floating en-
blem OF the States prowess in the mechani-
cal arts.
Secretary ~Bonaparte, after lifting his hat
in recognition of the applause, turned his
back to the raw wind and settled the hat
again firmly on his head. you must ex-
cuse me-" he said, -for putting my hat on
again and thus departing somewhat from
the usage OF such an occasion as this. For.
eager as good Americans are to show their
patriotism in every ceremony, especially
those connected with both of the martial
branches of the Government, we would also
do well to remember that for all of us to get
a cold in the head at such a ceremony as
this in time OF peace might not recommend
our patriotism to others.
we may felicitate ourselves on that
provision of the national law which pro-
vides that every State as soon as it can
point to its star in our flag may also point
to a fighting ship bearing its name and
ready to fight under it in defence OF the
Union And this Is the more felicitous,
for We are thus naming il the vessels repre-
senting one by one all of these United States
the great paciicators Of the future. There
Is much talk and good talk now of arbi-
tration as the means Of settling i~nterna-
tional disputes and avoiding that great
misfortune, war. But we sometimes forget
that the best possible aids to that end are
such ships as this one.
TOO often inthe frailty Of human nature
1t occurs among nations, as among men,
that a difference Of opinion arises in which
one OF the parties does something rash
under the strong impression tina he il 40
much in the right that there is nothing
TO arbitrate. 1t is in this sense that refer
to such ships as this one as tho great pacif-
Gators. They are always most persuasive
in pointing out to other nations with whom
we nave a difference Of opinion that there
is always something to arbitrate.
Il therefore ask all Of you, and especially
the Governor Of your state. when you re-
turn to your homes TO exert all your legiti-
mate influence in impressing this truth
upon the people. A nation OF our great
ness and power should have a navy worthy
of a great nation. As we feel confident
that the officers and men Of the present
navy will never be ound unworthy Of
the ships and the national d~estinies in
trusted to them, so should that confidence
find expression continually in a reason
able supply of such fine vessels AZ we now
stand on to enable them to discharge those
duties effectively"
The Rev. George ID. Egbert Of Norwalk
then presented TO the ship a full stand Of
color on behalf of the school children
of his town. They were paid for exclusively
by the cents contributed by them, no out
side contributions being accepted.
In the party around the Secretary were
Admirals Coghlan and Evans. Y