The Washington herald., 1909-03-07


tie ships around the world They did it.
and a fortnight ago the commanding ad-
miral Of the feet notified the Secretary
OF the Navy that the ships would get
home at Il o'clock on the forenoon of
February % Just one minute before the
time set, the flagship Of the fleet fired
the first gun OF the salute 10 the Presi-
dent. who had come down 70 the Tail OF
the Horseshoe on board the Mayflower,
says a Hampton Roads dispatch in the
New York Post.
The next day the ships began taking
on coal 1t wasn't the sort of thing cne
expected The navy offers no surprises.
The business Of the fleet on Monday last
was to come in from sea IN single column,
fire a salute TO the President, another IN
honor Of Washington's Birthday. proceed
70 man-of-war anchorage in Hampton
Roads and anchor in columns Of diVi-
sIons. This was done as prearranged.
Its business on Tuesday was to take on
coal. and this also was done as pre-
arranged. The one was as important as
the other 20 the men aboard the ships
They do as they are told, and then stand
by for orders.
With the cruise around the world behind
them. apparently all thought and talk OF
It Is behind them. An order obeyed is an
order forgotten. The story Of the
cruise died when the fleet came home
The ships had performed their allotted
tasks. and that was the end Of IL
When the sixteen great battle ships
steamed out OF Hampton Roads on De-
cember "A, 1907, there were many officers
aboard the ships who were gravely appre-
hensive about the outcome Of the long
ones among them, who had President
Roosevelts ear. had told him Of their
doubts and apprehensiOns- They didn't
know whether the ships could endure the
test. They doubted the political advisa-
Dility OF the voyage. They didn't want TO
take the main strength and backbone OF
our sea-hghting force SO Tar away from
home ports and home facilities for re-
pairing. But when the President ordered
the cruise. there was nothing 10 do but
10 obey, and make the best of it.
Condition of ships.
The elder. responsible officers who have
now returned with the feet, are not only
gratifed. but a little astonished. at the
record OF their own performance. They
have done better than they hoped for
Even those who disapproved OF the cruise
in the beginning now say that 1t has re-
suited I'm an Improvement in efficiency;
an increased efficiency in both personnel
and material Not only are the officers
and men better equipped for their work.
but the astonishing assertion Is made that
the ships are better.
When Secretary Newberry was here on
Monday he was told that no repairs would
be needed IN the engine-roOm or the cleo
tricai department Of the flagship Con-
nccticut The Secretary Of the Navy de-
Clared this hardly credible or course, on
an of tie ships there will be a bill for
minor repairs. and the ships VIII have 10
have their bottoms scraped and cleaned
The fleet officers have made reports 10 the
Navy Department showing that the wear
and tear on the ships has not been any
greater than in ordinary usage.
Until all OF the voIuminous reports made
TO the Navy Department throughout the
cruise have been thoroughly digested,
compared, and assimHated. IL viii be i'm
possible 20 tell In satisfactory detail what
has been gained for the navy BY the long
voyage But that there has been a gain
seems 10 be the undivided opinion among
the officers here. At least, this was the
burden OF the verbal reports made TO
President Roosevelt and Secretary New
berry by Rear Admiral Sperry and the
commanders Of the divisions.
Inspection Deferred.
Many officers regret that an admiraTs
inspection has not been ordered by the
Secretary OF the Navy TO begin this week.
This is the most minute and searching
investigation TO which war ship is sub
5ected. It is conducted by the command
ing officer of the fleet and a board OF
eighteen on twenty officers. From four TO
six days are spent on each ship. It IS an
ordeal dreaded by the captains. The in
spection is painstaking and minute to the
last degree. Whether the report is IA
vorable or unfavorable counts heavily for
the commander Of the ship. For reasons
not fully disclosed. Rear Admiral Sperry
and the rear admirals commanding the
three divisions of the fleet threw the
weight of their opposition against such an
inspection at the present time
Secretary Newberry reluctantly allowed
their desires 10 prevail and did not order
the inspection. The Secretay's idea seems
TO have been that the long cruise could
not be called completed until a compre-
hensivc report haC been made upon the
fighting efficiency Of the fleet az the mo-
ment the voyage ended In this opinion
he is supported by a good many officers
Had the inspection been ordered this week
II would have provided valuable and ire
futable evidence of the value or lack OF
value Of the 40.O00-mile voyage the ships
have ended Under the circumstances de-
pendence will have 10 be placed In form
ing conclusions on this point upon the
reports forwarded 10 Washington this
week and previously from time to time as
the cruise progressed.
Officers Visit Ships.
Since the ships have come home some
hundreds Of naval officers. retired and on
the active list. have come down here from
Washington and elsewhere 10 visit friends
aboard the ships and to see how well the
vessels bore the voyage. II has been q
matter Of common surprise to them tc
find how excellent is the present physica
condition of every unit Of the fleet. Said
one old rear admiral: 1T has taught
these young fellows how TO get along
without a navy yard within two days
steaming. Some of them had got so &C.
customed 20 going up and down the coast
elways keeping In touch with repair shop.
ashore, that they were IN danger Of for
getting how to do things for themselves
Hereafter, 1 think, you will find they vii
hesitate and think awhile before report
ing 20 the department the necessity O,
taking their ships to a yard fer repairs
They have learned to do things for them
selves they used 70 think impossible"
Whatever the effect Of the voyage upo1
the ships. and that is question that will
be thrashed over Tor a long time. m,
effect Of the cruise upon the men and
upon the officers has been helpful The
discipline has been and is admirable Al
professional fighting men spend a lot OF
their spare time in conjuring I'D wars
Warfare is their business. and IN It lie.