Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-07-23
F|RST-CLASS
FIGHTING NAVY
Pres. Roosevelt Wants Enough
Warships to Hammer an En-
emy Into the Quits.
SPOKE AT CONFERENCE
Notable Gathering Of Naval Officers
to Discuss Features Of Future
Bntt1eships-A Lumber Laden
Schooner Sunk by the
President Yacht.

Newport. r. T., July 22--pleadng for
popular support for first class fighting
navy, navy capable Of seeking out the
enemy and 'hammerlng him into the
quits President Roosevelt was the cen
tral fgure here to-day in the most notable
conference of American naval officers
ever called together to consult and dis
cuss, In broad, general way. the features
of future United States battleships. The
President spoke publicly for more than
haif an hour. and then the conference
went into executive session for one hour
During this session the President took
leading part in the discussion He
argued as layman. he explained, and
did not attempt to give advice to pro-
fessional man He impressed upon the
oHcers, however, that II was given to
them to keep the American navy abreast
OF the times and to make it the hard
hitting, efficient lighting force which he
believes to be guarantee against the
possibility Of war. Mr.. Roosevelt charac-
terized the navy as the cheapest form Of
safety insurance policy the nation could
have. The President sailed for oyster
Bay this afternoon but the battlcship CON
ferenccs will continue here and In Wash
ington until definite plans for the ships
to be laid down in the near future are
decided upon
COLLISION IN THE FOG
When the trim little cruiser yacht
Mayfower. flying the Presidents white
| crested flag of blue at the main truck
came steaminR into the harbor this
morning nearly two hours behind her
schedule time of arrival with her bow
spirit carried away, one anchor gone,
bow plates dented and six strange fig-
ures in black oil skins and sou westers
gathered In the bow, she brought the
story Of an adventurous night run in
the blackest fog of the summer and OF "A
collision in which the lumber laden
schooner Menawa had been cut practi-
calsy in two by the sharp, curving bows
of the Presidents yacht. a life boa.
lowered from the Mayfiower picked up the
| crew Of six men on the sinking boat.
They were taken board and to-day
when the Mayfower arrived here, the
President who knew nothing of the ac-
cldent and the danger OF the collision,
| until ne rose this morning directed that
money to take them to their homes in
Maine, and that the master Of the
schooner. Skipper" Hutchinson. be pro-
vided with transportation to the Office
Of his agents in New York There was
| no excitement of any sort on the yacht
at the time of the collision. The life
boat crew got away their craft in splen-
did order The men on the schooner
h,.I Ian ,1l,a 81.
the Maynower had struck them amid
ships on the port side and were rowing
away from the wreck when the May
flowers boat hailed them.
AS the Maynower came up the bav.
she was saluted with q guns from six
warships at anchor in the harbor The
President was met AT the dock by Rear
Admiral Merrill. president OF the war
college and other officers. He spent the
entire time he was here on the Naval
island The Presidents stay included an
inspection OF the naval training station
Mrs Roosevelt and other members Of
the Presidents family and party did not
come ashore until after the conference
Of the morning was concluded, with the
President they were guests at luncheon
at Rear Admiral and Mrs. Merril's quar-
ters All of the navy families in the
vicinity were invited to meet the Presi-
dent and Mrs. Roosevelt and the func-
tion had at times the appearance of
gay lawn party.
The conference was attended by many
leading naval officers and number OF
army officers They continuously ap
plauded the Presidents aggressive naval
address,, The President said In part:
THE PRESIDENTS REMARKS.
There are only few things that
desire to say to-day to the conference
and what have to say really is said
less to the officers present than to the
great bulk Of my fellow countrymen
outside I could not speak to YOU tech
nically I can speak to my fellow coun-
trymen. who are deeply interested In the
American navy. but who sometimes tend
to be misled as TO the kind OF navy We
should have and as to what the navy
can and ought to do.
For instance there are always GER
tain numbers Of we'll meaning, amiable
individuals, coupled with others not
quite SO well meaning, who advocate
merely n coast defense navy. Such
advocacy illustrates n habit of mind
as old as human nature itself-thc de-
sire at the same time to do something
and not to do Ut,
mo night was ever won except by
hitting. believe that the nation
should scrupulously refrain from
wronging or insulting another nation.
that 1t should put up with good
deal in the way OF misconduct on the
part Of others before going to war
But when this nation does have to 60
to war. such war viii only he excus-
able II the nation intends to hammer
It's opponent until that opponent quits
hghting.
NAVY NOT FOR COAST DEFENSE
For the protection OF our coast we
| need fortifcations, not merely To pro-
| tect the salient points OF our posses
sions but so that the navy can be foot
loose. A year ago at the time 1t was
Announced that the feet was to go
abroad there was a certain number OF
newspapers especially IN my own city OF