Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-06-23
TOPNOTCHER OF ADMlRALS
Enviable Position Of George Dewey, Head
Of the American Navy.
CANNOT Be RETIRED OR DISCIPLINED
what He Does In WashinRton-
Master Of the Annual Maneuvers
VI -Chummy with Wen who
Fought In Manila Bay.

Admiral Dewey Is still in the sailor bus
mess and works at It for eight or ten
hours every day. Once a year. for two
or three months. he gets aboard one OF
the smaller vessels OF the navy at Wash
ington. sails down the Potomac river and
out to sea. There he looks over the as
sembed ships OF the United States. picks
out the largest and handsomest OF the
great floating fortresses and boards IT,
Then day and night he heads II southwark.
with a long string OF big white monsters
Of the navy close in his wake They sail
until they get into Caribbean waters. and
then the admiral begins to put them
through their PAGES and to teach the ON
GERS and men the sailor business as he
has learned II during the twenty-five years
and more OF his connection with it. They
call the training the Summer maneu-
vers," and Il Is admitted by the naval ex-
perts OF the world that the performances
under our admiral Of the navy have given
us the most skilled set OF men in the han
ding Of ships and guns there is in the
world. They say the admiral is stern, but
Just.
There was the day when the ships were
proceeding in an obique course with the
bows all supposed TO he along an imag-
mary line and a fun head OF steam roar
ing through the tunnels. with the dense
black clouds Of smoke rolling up them.
too The Alabama pushed its nose forward
/. the length OF small boat, and. though II
was half a mile from the flagship. signal
hags began TO hutter from the adnirars
ship ordering. Alabama. you're out OF
line" or something to that effect The
sailor men have technical word for the
same thing that keeps from wearing out
the signal books. but for the landsmen 20
attempt to master the technique OF 1t all
is impossible without more study than the
average landubber chooses to give to the
subject. Three times during the day the
signal reprimanding the navigator OF the
Alabama noated from the topmost point
OF the flagship. Everyone knew that each
time the signal was flown It meant an en-
try in the log book OF every ship in the
feet.
Dewey Made an Investigation,
After midday and the ships were lying
idly in the water and the men were no
longer at quarters. launch went or from
sShs flagship and an officer presented the
Acfnpliments of the admiral to the captain
of the Alabama, and asked " there was
any reasonable excuse for the actions OF
was taken to the steering gear room and
shown in a very few minutes that the
steering gear had been worked under ex-
traordinary difYiculties. Two minutes after
the of1cer reported back to the f1agship
every ship In the fleet was notified 10
make an entry In It's log book TO the effect
that the Alabama had been navigated
under great difficulties during the day be-
cause OF defective steering gear. That's
the sort Of, admiral we have in our navy.
Taken all in all there is perhaps no man
IN the United States in the service OF the
government or out of II. who is in more
snviable position than is Admiral Dewey.
Congress has given him the rank, pay and
allowances OF an admiral of the navy, re-
vivinE the rank for his benefit He is alb.
solutefy independent OF the secretary Of
the navy and OF the president Of the
United States. He can not he retired and
he can not be disciplined by reduction In
rank OF any of the other usual means EN-
ployed. The place gives him an annual In
come Of Si5.5o0. II he chooses to do so
he could close down his desk, go, home
and never turn his hand over in the way
Y Of work. either for the navy or any one
ielse, and his pay and allowances would
go on as long as he lives. But the ad-
miral prefers to work and to work hard
Across the street from the big stone pile
In which the Navy department is housed
q wealthy retired naval ofieer named
Mills has built a great ten-story granite
and marble building, which is called the
Navy Annex" and in which all of the
bureaus which have been created since
the navy building was erected, and hence
for which there is no room in II. are To-
Gated.
Admiral Dewey has his once on the
fourth floor OF this building. and there Is
nothing In furnishings or otherwise TO dis
tinguish II from the other government
ofices. He Is at the head OF the navy gem
eral board This hoard Is charged with
the duty OF devising all OF the general
, plans for construction and Improvement
sof the navy and for the management OF
; the ships. the handling OF officers and
men. and the control of the great govern
mant shipysrds. Every day, when he II
not AZ sea for maneuvers. he IL At his desk
IN his once or attending to the meetings
of the board. There are few men In the
government service who keep longer hours
and accomplish more in the way OF work
A Man OF InnRite Tact.
Admiral Dewey seems 20 realize his pc
cuiAr situation in onicial life and before
the people, and 20 believe It brings to him
a certain sense Of responsibility. Not once
has he had a difference with either the
president OF the United States Or with the
series Of secretaries OF the navy who have
had charge since the battle Of Manila bay
fsevery day he has had 20 do with the
larger things Of general naval policy. and
the committees Of congress are always
demanding that he be sent TO them 10
advise In naval programs The admiral
nnds what the president and the secretary
want. II his own conclusions are not IN
line with them, aud he Is unable to show
them that his view is the proper one TO he
presented 10 the committees OF congress
with infinite tact he makes some excuse
or is able 20 avoid appearing before them
and instead sees that some oficlal OF the
department in sympathy with the civilian
heads presents the matter from thelI
standpoint.
The humblest man In the navy is IN,
friend Of Admiral Dewey. and he feels IL
It's no uncommon thing to have a sailol
Int