Omaha daily bee., 1906-12-09
ROOSEVELT ON The NAVY
President il Impressed with Advantages Of
Sea airing Life,
GOOD CHANCE FOR SUBSTANTIAL RISE
Chief Executive Pays High Com
pIimsnt to the Character
and Industry of Men
on RattIeships.
GOOD CHANCE FOR SUBSTANTIAL RISE

The Navy department at Washington has
just made public letter written by Presi-
dent Roosevelt to Secretary Bonaparte after
the chief executive had visited the battle
ship Missouri, in which he says things that
make the men behind the guns and those
behind the desks in the various navy
headquarters thrill with pride. A copy Of
the letter has been received by Lieutenant
Signor, In charge Of the Omaha naval sta
ton. The letter reads:
Last summer l visited the Missouri to
see the ship actually at target practice. As
L wanted to go over the ship and to take
time was limited, l did lot see the fun
practice under battle conditions, where very
remarkable results have been achieved. But
| did see practice which was not only un-
heard of, but would have been thought
absolutely impossible as lately as five years
ago. We steamed past a target seventeen
feet high and twenty-One feet broad at a
distance of about mile. Not a shot
missed the target, During the period Of
firing we averaged with each six-inch gun
nine and one-half hits minute; with each
twelve-inch gun one hit in about fifty Sec
Onds. On board the Missouri l took dinner
at the mess Of the men, and / saw the bill
OF fare and sometimes examined the food
OF the men every day that l was 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:
U. S. s. LOUISIANA, NOV. 20, 1sO6-MENU
Breakfast-Baked beans, tomato catsup,
Dinner-Roast beef, brown gravy. string
Deans, sweet potatoes, cottage pudding,
vanilla sauce, bread, coffee.
bread, butter, tea.
This bill of fare was prepared in &C
cordance with the new navy ration, as
gress
l also dined on the Louisiana at the chief
petty ohtcers mess. l inspected all three
ships most infinitely and / cannot speak
too highly of the arrangements for the
comfort and cleanliness of the men.
me eNceptlonal men among the enlisted
ulen can become commissioned officers.
lnvie Is an opening for a dozen such every
year. Last year there were eight ap-
pointed Since this method of appointment
some twenty-five have been thus appointed
Advantages of the Career.
Not only have 1 been immensely i'm.
pressed, during the somewhat intimate as
ISOLATION have had with the enlisted men
on the louisiana, West Virginia and Mis-
souri,, with their fine character ana physl.
que, with their ability in their profession
and with their attitude as self-respecting
American citizens, but l have been equally
III pres ,r with the great advantages q
can.
The hygienc conditions on our ships ar,
| admirable. the men III the vast majority
or cases improve steadily in health anc
strength during their time of enlistment
ana II they are young men the improve,
ment year by year is marked. The food 1,
excellent; of course II grows monotonous
and now and then there win be some caus,
Tor complaint; but to say this f. to say
school or hotel
The men are trained to a very high de.
| gree or efficiency and this develops the 4
character and self-respect. as the achieve
ment OF proficiency in any honorabIe pro
tession necessarily does. Furthermore, the,
nave plenty of time for self-improvement
tney nave "a large library at their command
and have been struck at seeing how man,
OF them spend much spare time in reading
| NOT only Tor amusement, but also for in
structlon. l am informed that II is a com
mon thing for them to be engaged Ii
! courses In connection with the so-callet
correspondence schools. The tendency
| therefore is for the enlisted man steadii,
| TO improve himself while he is I'm the serV
Ice. he can also rise steadily in his pro
1ession, and aside from the exceptiona
| chances which are open TO the exceptiona
man, there is open to the ordinary goo.
\ man who Is persevering and does his dut,
the likelihood Of achieving rank as che
petty officer or warrant officer, both O
them positions of real Importance, which
is an honor to hold.
Finally, after twenty years Of servic
anoat, the man Is given employment o.
shore, at naval stations or on receivin
ships; and after thirty years the man re
tires on $40 a month. This means that
man who has entered at twenty can a
nifty retire with a pension of $500 a veal
doubt II the average enlisted man
brother or cousin who has STAYED In civ
life is as well off at the correspondent
age, or as well able to take care of hi
VIE and children; and certainly no elias
Of our citizens Of any kind produces
higher grade of citizenship than is to /
found In those who man the ships OF tn
national navy.
On my return from Panama, we put III
Louisiana up to a speed Of eighteen an
one-halt knots, half knot better than he
contract speed. The Tennessee, our cor
sort, was then using but ten boilers; an
yet with the greatest ease She came u
alongside us at will; she also can go owe
her contract speed. Very truly yours,
THEODORE ROOSEVELT