The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-03-08
WINE FLOWED
ABOUT THE
CAPITAL
Submarine Orders We're
FIoated Through on
Champagne.
(Mail Special to the Advertiser.)

mail Special to the Advertisero
WASHINGTON, DC. February %.
A great consumption of champagne,
reaching into the thousands and even
the tens of thousands of bottles, is
being recalled in Washington at this
particular juncture because of certain
legislative occurrences. Only a few
years ago-perhaps it was as much as
five or six years ago--this town ex-
perienced more champagne jags than
had ever before been known. People
got 'em in broad day light as well as
along in the evening when real petite
people who know the taste of that
intoxicant are supposed to absorb it.
This is being recalled now because
Representative Lilley, of puritanical
strain from Connecticut, has introduce
ed resolution of inquiry about the
methods a company, which has sub
marine boats to sell the government,
has pursued in influencing the House
Naval Affairs committee. That COM
mittee recently voted to buy eight of
those submarines, where the Navy De-
partment asked for only four.
If all the history of the work, repre-
sentatives of submarine boats have
done to get the government to buy,
could be compiled and put on paper 1T
would form an exceedingly interesting
book One chapter would be about
that winter of champagne jags. In
those days Navy officers were fight
ing submarines. Those officers We're
certain the boats would be of little use
in warfare. They were invented by
outsiders, which was enough to con-
denim the utility of the boats.
So the campaign with Congress was
begun. The then owners of the same
type of submarines, which are now
involved in Representative Liliey's
resolution of inquiry, were willing to
burn some money on their venture.
They believed in it, and apparently
with reason, for the building of Hol-
land boats has become great indus
try and the necessity of the boats in
modern warfare is now recognized by
naval authorities here and abroad.
very clever manager was sent to
Washington to take charge of the cam
paign One of the boats was exhibited
on the Potomac, as long as the river
was open. People from Congress We're
taken down to the river front, placed
aboard ship and carried down where
the water was deep enough for the
new boat to "dive" Some Congress
men, who wanted an experience. like
that President Roosevelt wanted some
two or three years ago, ventured into
the invention and went down under
the machinery work as the boat stood
on one end or the other end, and
moved upward or downwards horizon
tally at the option of the man in COM
mand. OF course it demonstrated what
a wonderful invention the submarine
boat was.
But incidentally going and coming
to the dive there was plenty of |
champagne and the best quality Of
Havana cigars. The people interested /
in the invention preferred to entertain |
their "guests" royalty. Perhaps it was
not their fault that some Congress
men drank champagne as though they |
had never seen it before and never
expected to see any more. Congress
men are very like some other mortals.
When the drinks and the cigars are
free. these people are apt to gorge
themselves, especially those who are
not well-tutored in gentle manners and
customs.
So there was great hilarity on board
the ships that piled to and fro on the
Potomac on excursions to witness the
diving of the submarine. When the
river froze over the submarine was
taken down to Annapolis. where the
water is salt and does not freeze. This
was no deterrent, however. to the
drinking of champagne by thirsty
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