The Washington herald., 1906-12-04

The enthusiasm Of President Roosevelt
over the American navy is shown in a
letter he has written 10 Secretary of the
Navy Bonaparte, a portion Of which was
made public at the Navy Department
yesterday. When the President returned
from Panama, whittier he went on the
battle ship Louisiana, he said he was
greatly impressed with the navy, and
his letter shows IL He also dwells upon
his visit to the battle ship Missouri last
summer and speaks of the wonderful
shooting Of the big guns
In anolher part of the letter the Presi-
dent reproduces the bill Of fare for the
three meals on board the Louisiana on
November .. He says the bill was Sc
lected at random and is a fair example Of
the daily food Of the enlisted men.
Much OF the communication is devoted
to the opportunities Of the enlisted men
Of the navy who, the President remarks,
have every chance Of advancement and
retirement at old age with a comfortable
income in the form of a pension.
Extract from Letter.
The President writes as follows:
see the ship actually at target practice.
AS I wanted to go over the ship and 10
take dinner with the ship crew, and as
my time was limited, did not see the
full practice under battle conditions,
where very remarkable results have been
achieved. But did see practice which
was not only unheard of. but would have
been thought absolutely impossible as
late as five years ago. We steamed past
target seventeen feet high and twenty
one feet broad at q distance Of about
mile. Not a shot missed the target
During the period of firing we aver
aged with each 6-inch gun nine and one
half hits a minute; with each l2-inch
gun one hit IN about fifty seconds. On
board the Missouri I took dinner at the
mess OF the men. and I saw the bill OF
fare, and sometimes examined the food
OF the men every day that I was on the
Louisiana or the West Virginia. A speci-
men bill of fare, neither better nor worse
than the average and chosen at random,
is as follows:
Z. S. 5. LOUISIANA. November .. 1906
MENU.
Breakfast-Baked beans. tomato catsup; bread,
butter coffee
DinneT-Roast beef, brown gravy; string beans.
sweet potatoes, cottage pudding. vanilla sauce;
bread coffee
suppeF-Cold boiled ham, canned peaches, bread,
butter. tea
Result of New Law.
THE bill of fare was prepared in ac-
ccrdance with the new navy ration, as
enacted into law at the last session Of
Congress.
Il also dined on the Louisiana, at the
chief petty officers mess I inspected all
three ships most minutely. and I cannot
speak too highly of the arrangements for
the comfort and cleanliness Of the men
The exceptional men among the en-
listed men can become commissioned on
GERS, There is an opening for a dozen
men every year. Last year there were
eight appointed. Since this method Of
appointment of officers was begun about
five years ago, some twenty-five have
been thus appointed.
Not only have 1 been immensely i'm
pressed, during the somewhat intimate
association I have had with the enlisted
men on the Louisiana, West Virginia, and
Missouri with their fine character and
physique. with their ability in their pro-
fessiOn, and with their attitude as self
respecting American citizens; but 1 have
been equally impressed with the great
advantages a career in the United States
navy offers to the average self-respect-
ing young American.
The hygienic conditions on our ships
are admirable, the men in the vast ma
jority OF cases improve steadily in health
and strength during their time OF enlist
ment. and if they are young men the
Improvement year by year is marked
The food is excellent; Of course, 1t
grows monotonous. and now and then
there will be some cause for complaint;
but to say this is TO say what is true
OF any college or boarding school OF
hotel
The men are trained 10 a very high
degree Of efficiency, and this develops