The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-09-30
ROOSEVELT ON
BOARD WARSRIP
Sat Down to Dinner With the
JaCkieS, Greatly to the
latter'S Delight.
GUN CREW AT THEIR BEST
PRESIDENT DELIGHTED WITH
WHAT HE SAW.

Barn Stable Mass, Sept 29.-Presi-
dent Roosevelt visited the North At
lantic fleet off Cape Cod today and left
with enthusiastic praise for the Off
GERS and crews of the fleet. The crew
OF the batttleship Missouri, on which
the president spent the day cheered
themselves hoarse as he left the ship
at 1:3O, for they had had an honor pre-
sented to them which no other crew in
the navy had ever received. The pres
ident and his guests sat down to din
ner with the jackies. This feature of
the trip was surprise, both to the Of
ncers and the men. When the Mis-
souri, left the target ground and re-
turned to her anchorage and the first
mess call was sounded on a marines
trumpet, the notes had no ceased echo
ing throughout the fleet when the pres
ident called Admiral Evans to his side
and announced that he and his guests
would take dinner with the sailors
Surprise for the Sailors.
The necessary orders were imme-
diately issued and the sailors jumped
to their feet i'm surprise when they saw
President Roosevelt walk on the after
gun deck and take his place at a table.
where he and his guests had the same
mess that was being served to the
sailors at the surrounding tables
one of the men, observing that there
were no napkins on the presidents
table, rushed TO the ward room TO pro-
cure the necessary table linen. When
ne returned the president thanked him.
put said he was dining with the bows
today and would have no privileges
which they did not enjoy. The sailors.
pleased with the presidents action,
took no further steps until at the con-
clusion of the dinner, when they sent
to the presidents table a box of cigars
which had been obtained by subscrip-
ton from the navy canteen.
President Roosevelt left for Oyster
Bay this afternoon after he had re-
ceived long dispatch from Secretary
Taft dealing with the situation in
Cuba.
Salute Was Omitted.
The president arrived at the en-
trance of Cape Cod bay ut about .
o'clock this morning. Rear Admiral
Evans left the flagship Maine shortly
afterward and went to the presidents
yacht, accompanied by Congressman
Lowering. At 2 o'clock the president
boarded the Missouri. At his request
the usual presidential salute of twenty
one guns was omitted.
The moment the presidential party
arrived on board the Missouri the
champion of the North Atlantic fleet
sailed out to the target grounds. on
the way out the president visited tho
various parts of the ship. inspecting
the turrets. wardrooms, etc.
Firing at the targets, anchored 1850
yards away, was begun almost imme-
diately. While the six-inch guns were
being fired the president stood behind
the gun crew and watched through d
glass the admirable craftsmanship dis
played. Every shot fired found the tar
get, not a miss being recorded. When
the ship turned and went back over
the course President Roosevelt went to
the forward turret, where the big
twelve-inch guns were being prepared
During the firing of these guns he did
not remain in the turret, the mechan-
ism having been explained to him ear
lier in the day.
Posed for His Picture.
When the ship returned to her am
chorage. a newspaper photographer
asked the president to pose for a pic
ture, and he Immediately gave his con-
sent. on the condition that his picture
should be taken with the victorious gun
crew.
Before the actual target practice be-
gan, in order to show the president the
value of the team work i'm training,
trials were held from turrets and six
inch guns, the maneuvers being the
same as in actual firing, except that
dummy charges were used instead of
powder. This was followed by target
practice at 1850 yards with six-inch
guns and twelve-inch turret guns, the
speed of the ship being ten knots and
the size of the targets seventeen to
twenty-One feet. The following scores
were made:
The forward turret, in charge of
Lieutenant T. L. L. Johnson, fired eight
shots, making eight hits, in one across
the range, at the rate of 2.28 hits per
turret per minute. The trainer was
Benjamin Hare. seaman; the right gun
pointer was w. Gibbons. boatswain's
mate, left pointer, Charles Blanchard,
boatswain's mate, and L. X. Boyer.
turret captain.
The six-inch guns were fired by three
pointers, each pointer firing eight shots
and making eight hits. The first six
inch gun pointer made 9.23 hits per
gun per minute, the second pointer made
81 hits per gun per minute and the last
pointer made "a hits per gun per min
ute.