The sun., 1908-05-07

The day was glorious. the hills we're crowded
with people, the shipping In the harbor
was all dressed. Every naval officer agreed
that It was the most spectacular naval
parade hO ever saw. All we're glad that
this happened In port Of Chile, a country
which not long ago was not overfriendly
10 US. The messages exchanged between
Admiral Evans and the President and other
officials Of Chile were extremely cordial,
and there can be no doubt that the visit To
Valparaiso was highly beneficial in fully
restoring good feeling between the coun-
tries.
GREAT PROFESSIONAL GAINS,
All naval officers are Of opinion that
professionally the cruise was Of great
benefit both to the men and the ships. II
was absolutely true, as Admiral Evans
telegraphed the Navy Department from
Magdalena Bay, that the vessels were in
better condition when they arrived there,
than when they left Hampton Roads. They
had been shaken down, as the expression
goes. They had become coherent force.
A large quantity Of work had been done on
each OF them such as is usually done in
navy yards The longer the cruise con-
tlnued the more the truth of the naval
saying that "the place for ships to I've Is
at sea, not in navy yards seemed con-
frned.
A large part Of the routine work on the
ships was taken up with drills preliminary
to target practice, The purpose OF war
ship to shoot; il Is a truism to sayit. Hence
the large amount Of time given to learning
how to shoot accurately and quickly was
precisely what was needed on the fleet.
The value Of all this work will become
known when the Navy Department decides
TO make public such Of the records as may
be- deemed desirable regarding the work
at Magdalena Bay. One may not speak
freely Of that work, but il is not beyond the
limits Of propriety to say that the American
people will not I've ashamed Of the men be-
hind the guns when even partial results
are made known.
The voyage revealed the cruising quail
ties of the ships and many lessons were
learned from incidental mishaps just as
many lessons were learned at MagdalenA
Bay from similar causes as to the way to
improve target shooting
LEARNING by MIsHAPs
On the Atlantic coast there were frequent
minor breakdowns, boilers, condensers.
steering engines and the like needing re-
pairs All these incidents showed not only
how and where mishaps we're likely to
occur but showed that ii was possible to
make repairs in such cases at sea. Although
several ships dropped out OF the column
at various times only once was the fleet
slowed down, and then only for few hours,
while repairs we're going on, Ships might
ay breakdown" pennants but they kept
up right along.
On the Pacific coast there we're very few
mishaps. and these chiefly relating 20 steer
ing gear. One Of the ships had q cylinder
accident coming up to Santa Barbara road
stead, but the ship kept right along in the
column,
There il little doubt that il pleasure
stops had not been made it would have
been comparatively easy TO take the feet
right on around the world without docking
or sending themIto a navy yard for repairs.
Many officers in the feet regret that such
a course was not adopted. once it was de-
cided to have the feet encircle the globe,
10 as to make record such as the naval
world has scarcely dreamed Of
The trip has also been valuable in de-
termning not only the cruising oapability
of the ships but also the best cruising speed,
Although it was proved that the ships
could 60 faster than ten knots II was found
that from ten to eleven knots was the most
Trustworthy speed to I've maintained, You
could depend upon ships at that speed.
Valuable data as to coal consumption
and wear and tear on machinery have also
been secured From the engineering stand
point Uncle sam has learned now exactly
what his ships can do In sustained steam
ing under favorable conditions Of weather.
RUSSIAN CONTRAST
By way Of contrast between the fine
cruising record Of the battleship fleet and
tina. Of tie Russian fleet on its way TO Japan,
the diary Of one Of the Russian naval officers
vino sailed under Roiestvcnsky, which was
published about year ago, had this 10 say
about the Russian ships
There are continual mishaps TO the
various ships One gets sand in her valves.
Although six miles on shore, she must have
scraled a shoal Another gets hot bearings
and the whole fleet is stopped Another
breaks her cOndenssr1 another smashes her
urolallar blade. another breaks her piston
rod With most Of them the steering gear
il continually getting ont Of order. Naval
constructors are in demand night and day. q"
Nothing Of that Lind has happened with
the American ships They were sent Jut 10
cruise and they did cruise, accidents in no
way interfering with their steady progress
The effect on the men has been most
beneficial. They have got the sea habit,
80 ro speak. They have been in splendid
health. You could almost see youngsters
growing robust from day TO day Discipline
has improved all the time The men. like
the ships, have been shaken down into
cohesive force with wholesome, fresh.
American youngsters hundreds Of them
night OF the farm, ss the bone and snew
of the fighting force, They are fine set
of men, and no fighting force in the world
can compare with them in what is called
morale. In every poT their conduct has
elected enthusiastic commendstion from
the authorities high and low They have
honored their uniform, Contrast this also
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