Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-30
PRESIDENT D|NED
WITH THE JAekKS
Feature of Visit to the North At
Iantic Squadfot,
OFF CAPE COD YESTERDAY
A Pleasant Surprise to Both Officers
and Men.
SAILORS cHEERED TELL H0ARSE
Usual Presidential Salute OF Twenty
One Guns Omitted at Hts Request
Firing at Targets.
OFF CAPE COD YESTERDAY
A Pleasant Surprise to Both Officers
and Men.
SAILORS cHEERED TELL H0ARSE

BARNSTABLE, Mass, September 9'-
President Roosevelt visited the North At
lantic fleet of Cape Cod today and lsft
with enthusiastic praise for the officers ana
crews of the fleet. The crew OF the hattie-
ship Missouri. on which TIA President had
spent the day, cheered themselves hoarse |
as he left the ship at 1:3O, for they nao
had an honor paid to them which no other |
crew in the navy had ever received.
The President and his guests sat down |
to dinner with the jackies. This feature
of the trip was a surprise both to the Of
ficers and the men. When the MISSOURI
left the target ground and returned to her
anchorage, and the first mess call was
sounded on a marines trumpet the neees
had not ceased echoing throughout the
fleet when the President called Admiral
Evans to his side and announced that he
and his guests would take dinner with the
sailors.
The necessary orders were Immediately
issued and the sailors jumped to their rect
In surprise when they saw PRESIDENT
Roosevelt walk In the after gun deck
and take his place at a table where ne
and his guests had the same mess that
was being served to the sailors at the sur
rounding tables.
One of the men observing that there was
no napkins on the Presidents table rusneo
to the ward room to procure the necessary
table linen. When he returned the Presi-
dent thanked him. but said he was dining
with the boys today" and would have no
privileges which they did not enjoy. Inc
sailors. pleased With the Presidents action,
took no further steps until at the concur
sion of the dinner, when they sent 10 the
Presidents table a box OF cigars winch
had been obtained by subscription from
the navy canteen.
The Dispatch From Taft.
President Roosevelt left for Oyster Bay
this afternoon after he had received long
dispatch from Secretary Taft dealing with
the situation in Cuba.
It was learned after President Roosevelt
| had started on his return to Oyster Bay
| that the message received for him over the
| commercial lines at Provincetown was
from Secretary Taft, and that 1t contained
| about 900 words on the Cuban situation
| The launch that went out to the battleship
Missouri 1t appeared later. did not carry
the message, but informed the President
| dispatch boat was sent here to get the
| communication. 1t was given the Presi-
| dent Just before the May1ower sailed. and
| was not answered by the executive as rar
| as can be learned.
| The President arrived at the entrance of
| Cape Cod bay at about O'Clock this morn
| ing. Rear Admiral Evans left the flag
| ship Maine shortly afterWard and went to
! the Presidents yacht accompanied by
| Representative William c. Lowering. At 8
o'clock the President boarded the Missouri.
| At his request the usual presidential salute
of twcnty-one guns was omitted.
Arrival on Board the Missouri.
| The moment the presidential party ar
rived on board the Missouri the champion
of the North Atlantic fleet sailed out to
the target grounds. On the way out the
President visited the various parts Of the
ship, inspecting the turrets, ward rooms.
| etc.
| Firing at the targets, anchored 1.6s0 yards
away. begun almost immediately.
Admirable Workmanship.
While the six-inch guns were being fired
| the President stood behind the gun crews
and watched through Il strong glass tbs
admirable craftsmanship displayed. Ever,
| shot fired found the target, nos Miss Ie.
ing recorded. When the ship turned a;.d
went back over the course President Roose
Welt went up to the forward turret where
, the big tweive-,nch guns were being pre-
, pared During the firing o: these guns h
did not remain IL the tu-ret. the mechanism
having beeI. explained to him earlier ii t.,
day.
, When the ship returned 20 her ancnofas,
a newspaper photographer asked the Prest
dent to pose for a picture. and he immedl
| atey gave his consent, on the condition
that his picture should be taken with tn
| victorious gun crew.
Before the actual target practice began
in order to show the President the value O
| the work In training. trials were held In tn
, turret and six-inch guns. the maneuver
! being the same as in actual firing. excep
that dummy charges were used instead o
, | powder This was followed by target prac
3 tice at $50 yards with siX-inch guns an,
L twelve-inch turret guns. tho speed Of tn
: ship being ten knots, the size Of the target
e II to 81 feet. The following scores wer
8 made:
. The forward turret In charge OF Lieut.
" T L. Johnson, fired eight shots, maxim
u eight hits in run across the range q
a the rate of 2 2S hits per turret per minute
The trainer was Benjamin Hare. seaman
It the right gun pointer was w. Gibbons boa,
y SWANS mate: left pointer, Charles Blanch
It ard boatswain's mate. and L. B. Boye
a turret captain The six-inch guns wer
re fired by three pointers, each pointer firm
eight shots and making eight hits.
It The first six-inch gun pointer made o.
1t hits per gun per minute. the second pointe
made 81 hits per gun per minute, and tn
4. last pointer made o. hits per gun pc
IL minute.