The daily morning journal and courier., 1906-07-07

set of men in the handling 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 obltuue course with the bows all supposed to be along an imaginary line and a full head of steam roaring through the tunnels, with the dense black clouds of smoke rolling up them, too The Alabama pushed her nose forward the length of a small boat, and, though she was half mile from the flagship, signal flags began to ffutter from the admiral's ship ordering, Alabama you're out of lone," or something to that effect. The sailor men have 8 technical word for the same thing that keeps from wear Ing out the signal books, but for the landsman to attempt to master the technique of 1t all is impossible without more study than the average landlub- ber chooses to give to the subject Three times during the day the signal reprimanding the naigator of the Ala- bama floated from the topmost point of the flagship. Every one knew that each time the signal was flown it meant an entry in the log book of every ship in the fleet.
 After midday and the ships were ly- ing idly in the water and the men were no longer at quarters. launch went off from the flagship and an officer presented the compliments of the admi- ral to the captain of the Alabama, and asked if there was any reasonable ex- ouse for the actions of the ship during the day. The officers was taken to the steering-gear room and shown in a very few minutes that the steering gear had been out of order and that the ship had been worked under extraordinary difficulties. Two minutes after the off, cer reported back to the flagship every ship in the fleet was notified to make an entry in it's log book to the effect that the Alabama had been navigated under great difficulties during the day because 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 ser vice of the government or out of it, who Is in a more enviable position than is Admiral Dewey. Congress has given him the rank pay and allowances of an admiral of the navy, reviving the rank for his benefit He Is absolutely inde- pendent of the secretary of the navy and of the President of the United States He cannot be retired and he cannot be disciplined by reduction in rank or any of the other usual means employed The place gives him an an nual income of s15,0O0. IT he choose to do so he could close down his desk go home and never turn his hand over in the way of work. either for the navy or any one else, and his pay and allow ances would go on as long as he lives But the admiral prefers to work and to l work hard.
 Across the street from the big stone pile In which the navy department is housed, a wealthy retired naval officer named Mills has built great ten-story granite and marble building, which is called the navy annex" and in which all of the bureaus which have been ere ated since the navy building was erect ed, and hence for which there is no room in 1t are located
 Admiral Dewey has his office on the fourth floor of this building, and there in nothing in furnishings or otherwise to distinguish 1t from the other govern te ot Ar navy general board This board is charged with the duty of devising all of the general plans for construction and improvement of the navy and for the management of the ships, the hand ling of officers and men, and the con- trol of the great government shipyards. Every day when he is not at sea for the maneuvers he is at his desk in his office or attending to the meetings of board. There are few men in the gov ment service who keep longer hours and accomplish more in the way of work.
 Admiral Dewey seems to realize his peculiar situation in official life and before the people, and to believe it brings to him a certain sense of re- sponsibility, 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 Every day he has had to do with larger things of general naval policy and the committees of the Congress- are always demanding that he be sent to them to advise in naval programs, The admiral finds what the President and the sec- reary want. If his own conclusions are not in line with them and he Is unable to show them that his view is the prop CT to be presented to the committees of the Congress, with infinite tact he makes some excuse, or Is able to avoid appearing before them, and instead sees that some official of the depart ment in sympathy with the civilian heads presents the matter from their standpoint.