The Washington herald., 1906-11-15
DEMANDS ABIG NAVY
Rear Admiral Evans Tells
Needs for Fighting Craft.
PRAISES SHIPS, MEN, AND GUNS
Money spent in Target Practice Well
Invested, Commander Declares Be
fore Alumni Association Of Naval
Academy-Rear Admiral Brown Is
Also a Speaker at Gathering.

Chicago, Nov. 14.-More ships, more
men, and more guns were the burden Of
Rear Admiral Robley D. Evans cry in an
address on The awakening Of the West
to the necessity Of a greater navy at
the fourth annual banquet OF the Alumni
Association Of the United States Naval
Academy. at the Auditorium tonight.
Ship for ship, man for man. and gun for
gun. he declared the American navy the
best in the world.
"The trouble Is" he added, its Ike
the old woman's butter-there's not
enough OF It, and we have TO spread it
zoo thin"
Admiral Evans admitted that ne was
afraid OF the newspapers. and would not
talk until he knew he was alone among
friends. The latter Gid not care. hGw-
ever, il a few OF his remarks did get out,
and the reporters were not very rigidly
excluded.
'The best part Of our new navy We got
from the old navy" he said. That's ira
dition without which TO navy In the world
would be worth the powder to blow il out
OF the water
Il feel that I'm paying myself a compli-
ment when I praise the old navy, for I'm
partly Of it myself. I've eaten my hard
tack and picked worms out Of my beans
with the rest OF the boys.
This country has spent lots Of money
building up a nucleus around which 1
prophesy we shall have inside Of ten years
the greatuest navy in the world.
Equal to Any on Earth.
Il myself command sixteen fighting
ships. Put them alongside any other six
teen ships on earth. and tie sucker who
goes against them viii know he has been
in fight
Frankly, gentlemen, we need more
ships. And we haven't guns enough. II
any of our guns are disabled now We can't
replace them.
eve haven't officers enough. Ny
squadron has but two-thirds its quota.
We haven't men enough, but match
them alongside any others in the world
and they wiz more than hold their own.
Il took German officer through my
ship once, and when he had seen every
tnlng, he asked, 'But where do you get
sucS menT
'' we get them IN the Middle West. I
told him. The men Of the Middle West
make the finest sailors in the world, only
there are not enough.
People think we spend lots Of money
for target practice. Why, a few years
ago. we made thirty per cent OF hits. and
II was thought a wonderful record, Nov
the percentage is ninety. ana It will not
be long before 1t Is lt0 per cent.
Learns Where Money Gees.
&" SO that's where the taxpayers money
goes eaid q man who once saw US at
the target practice
Yes I said, that's where It goes,
and II anybody wants any more OF the
goods We Keep. We viii give It 20 'eu, and
be ID glad Of H.
Rear Admiral q. z. Brown responded
10 the toast. The Old Navy and the
New Robert n. Thompson, Of Miami
Fla. 20 The Graduate IN Civil Life.
aDd Alexander II Revell OF Chicago "a
"Sweethearts and Wives
Officers Of the alumni association were
elected as follows
George A Sanderson. class OF Il. presi-
dent; Charles ". Deering, class Of 81
vice president; J. ". Wilson. class Of SO
seCretaTy-treasUrer L. D. Webster class
or O.; DR.. Il H Roger. class OF II. and
g f. Fitch. class OF SO. executive CON-