Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-07-23
PRESIDENT IN COLLISION.

popular support for a 'tirSt-claSS fight
ing navy, a navy capable of seeking
the enemy and hammering him unit
he quit President Roosevelt was the
central figure here today in the mOsl
notable conference Of American nava
officers ever called together to consult
and discuss in q broad general way
the features of future United States
battleships The President spoke pub
licly for more than half an hour. and
then the conference went into eXecu-
tive session for one hour. During this
session the President took leading
part in the discussion. He argued as q
layman he explained, and did not at
tempt 20 give advice to professional
men. He impressed upon the officers
however, that it was given to them to
keep the American navy abreast of the
times and to make it the hard-hit-
ting. efficient fighting force which he
believes TO be a guarantee against the
possibility of war. Mr.. Roosevelt char
acteriZed the navy as the cheapest
form of safety insurance policy the
nation could secure.
The President sailed for Oyster Bay
this afternoon, but the battleship con-
ference will continue here and in
Washington until definite plans for the
ships to be laid down in the near fu-
ture are decided upon.
When the trim little cruiser yacht
Mayfiower, flying the President white
crested flag of blue at the main truck
came steaming into the harbor this
morning, nearly two hours behind her
scheduled time of arrival, with her
bowsprit carried away. one anchor
gone, bow plates bent in and six
strange figures in black oil skins and
sou-westers gathered in the bow, she
brought the story Of an adventurous
nights run in the blacklist fog of the
summer and of q collision in which the
lumber-laden schooner MenaWa had
been cut practically in two by the
sharp, curving bows of the President
yacht.
A lifeboat, lowered from the May
flower, picked up the crew of six men
Oh the sinking boat. They We're taken
on board and today, when the May
flower arrived here. the President. who
knew nothing of the accident and the
danger of the collision until he arose
this morning directed that the men Of
the crew be given sufficient money to
take them to their homes in Maine,
ard that the master Of the schooner,
skipper" Hutchinson, be provided
with transportation to the office of his
agents in New York.
Picked suddenly out Of the blackness
Of nasty night and set down on board
the yacht of the President Of the Unit
ed States with the President and his
family sleeping down below, the daZeGi
men who had lost their boat did not
know just how to respond to the Pres
ident's sincere words of regret ove'
the ,nishap this morning and his pro-
vision for their journey home.
Commander Snowden, who was in com
mand of the Maytlower. summoned th'
men to his cabin and organized sum
mary court of inquiry in which he tool
their statements for use In an investiga
tion which he Immediately requested tht
navy department at Washington to un
dertake.
The Mayflower, after leaving the Pres
ident and his family at Oyster Bay to
morrow, will probably go to the New
York navy yard for a thorough eXamina
ton and repairs.
The Presidents day at the Naval Wa
College, where the conference was held
was one of continuing interest. As th'
Maynower came ur the bay she was sa
luted with q guns from six warships q
anchor in the harhor.
Landing at the War College dock. th'
President spent the entire time he was
here upon the naval island. He was me
at the dock by Rear Admiral Merrel!
president of the War College: by Captain
Fullam, commandant of the training sta
tion and by the staff OF the college ant
station in full dress uniform. The bat
talon of apprentice seamen quartered OF
the island, raw recruits ranging in ser
vice from three days to three months
was drawn up at attention along the wa
ter front. The President inquired as t'
the manner of training the men, and ;
few minutes later. when the battalion
passed in review before him and thu
more advanced men gave a setting up
and semarhore drill, the President ex
pressed himself in terms of unmeasuret
PRAISE NJ tne QUICK pioSIeSS iIidue II
training green men.
To Admiral Merrell, to Captain Fulan
and to Boatswain Spicer. who drilled th'
men. the President said:
II want to speak q word to the com
manders of the battalions and the com
panies here, and through them to the ap
prentices. I want to say how pleased
am with the bearing, the whole tone ant
look and evident character of this bat
talon. 1t is a fine thing, and Capt. Ful
lam. I am pleased to see it handled as i
was by a warrant officer
Before Santiago In the army there W.
always used to say that if ever a com
mission officer were killed these sergeant
would take the army into Santiago.
believe in the enlisted men of the Ameri
can navy with all my heart; believ,
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