Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-16
HONOR TO THE NAVY
Fighting Men Toasted by Ma
tionaI Geographic Society.
ANNUAL BANQUET'S THEME
Enthusiastic Greeting of Rear Ad-
miral Robley D. Evans.
TELLS OF THE BATTLE FLEET
More Apprehensive of Measles Than
Anything While Preparing for
Great Cruise to the Pacific.
ANNUAL BANQUET'S. THEME
TELLS OF THE BATTLE FLEET

Honor was paid the American navy
and its lighting men at one of the most
brilliant assemblages ever gathered in
Washington last night in the great
banquet hall of the New Willard-the
annual banquet Of the National Geo
graphic Society. And becomingly. in
the gathering of more than 80 men
and women. the central figures were
the Secretary of the Navy. Truman H.
Newberry. and Rear Admiral Robley
u. Evans, who WAS endearinSly re-
ferred to as Fighting Bob
The great demonstration of the oc-
casion came ,ater III the evening when
the POSTMASTER said The commander
of the fleet and directed his gaze to
Rear Admiral Robley d. Evans.
The gathering arose. napkins were
waved. hands clapped and other DEM
onstrations of JOY greeted the veteran
sea fighter.
When the admiral arose with the
aid of cane. after a brief eulogy by
the toastmastcr. the demonstration
that greeted the mention of his name
was repeated. and in greater volume.
Il am sure | had never suspected all
the things about myself that our toast
master ha, said. Admiral Evans re-
marked and feel the honor that has
been extended to me in asking me to
address such an aSSemblage is due not
to my personality, but to my being a
member. of Il great institution. the
navy of the United States.
Now about this talk of reorgani-
alton of the naval board. When you
do IT. see that you do it wisely.
A Word of Caution.
Referring to remarks made by a
previous speaker. who had favored the
4
Evans continued:
Remember that for commanding Of
ficers you need something more than
youth. So gentlemen of Congress. a
young commander is better than an
of the old one.
"A word about the condition of the
navy. Don't lose any sleep about the
condition of your ships.
Now about the men. The men from
the western states, the farmer boys. are
the best boys that have ever put d blue
shirt on anywhere in the world. l have
rubbed elbows with them: | know them;
/ have been the old man to them for
years. and / say right now that they are
all wool and a yard wide.
Now, l suppose you will want to hear
something about the cruise. | might say
that the American people the most
hysterical people in the world. 1t wasn't
necessary to move the family silver from
the Spanish American war broke out. And
in the same way, when word came to take
the fleet around South America it wasn't
a question of whether we'd be able to do
it, but of how soon we'd get there.
- Feared Measles the Most
3 ''She fleet was prepared for a fight or
froie and didn't care sou which.
Many persons thought VIC would clog up
the foreign ports with disabled ships. but
| tell you frankly that the thing I feared
anybody say word about them. | re-
ceived letters from Canada saying our
ships would be blown up in the Rio, and
if not there in the Straits of the Magel-
Ian But | really couldn't see why if
Japan really intended to do such a thing
she'd tell ,he people of Canada about it
before she told me-
We had al delightful time on the trip
We started with one-third of our total
1orre made up of green BOYS from the
western farms, and we ended with a rec
ord at target practice that beats all pre-
lions marks.
Your feet today is as ably commanded
as II is possible for any feet to be- Your
captains have superiorS i'll any navy
OF the world and your men behind the
guns are as intelligent ANA efficient as
any who ever wore the blue shirt
Moreover, IL there were any reasons
Tor sending the fleet right around again
II cot!ld 20 without moments notice /
and 1t VIII be an unpleasant job for any |
one to try to stop us