Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-11-06

competition. The Colorado, which won
the first competition in the Pacific fleet. is
last. No. 2o, in the competition recently
ended. Another thing worthy Of notice is
the relatively close order in which the
first eight ships finished last June, all
eight being over 100.
-.
The efficiency trophy is one of the finest
things Of the kind ever designed. 1t
is Of bronze, about three feet long, the
modelling being in high relief. In the
center panel is a view of the feet on the
high seas, deployed in column fOrna-
ton, the ships fitted with skeleton masts
and looking, in general, up-to-date On
the right is a panel with group the
principal figure being a machinist's mate,
who has one hand on the reversing lever
and the other on the throttle In the
background is an oiler oiling the ma
chinery. To the left is a fireman with
fire hoe In his hands. in the act of fir
ing. Coal is scattered on the floor at
background. The names of the trophy
winners. instead of being engraved on
the trophy itself, will be engraved on a
brass plate. which will he affixed to the
trophy. The latter will remain in the
hands Of the winners until it passes to
the hands OF the next successful con-
testant. 1t will probably be displayed in
the most conspicuous portion of the yes
SCI uOlutilS II, Wnere all VINO come
board can easily see it,
Every man in the fleet has prospec-
tive interest in the prize money whicf,
goes with the trophy. This amounts, APP
proxfmately to 5000. 1t is pretty good
lump sum, and even when 1t ia divided IN
among the men it is still accepted with
out grumbling. Probably the largest in
dividual awards figure around $50 each
The money is divided up in q strictly
methodical and impartial way, the d.
hai
the men, There are chief petty officers,
chief machinists' mates, chief water tend
ers first and second class petty officers
machinfsts mates and water tenders, OIL
ers. coppersmiths. biacksmiths. boiler
makers, hremen, coal passers, etc They
are the men who work the ship, help
fight and keep the ship in repair and At
for any emergency.
But, after all, the prize money, while
all very well in its way. is not the main
thing. It's the game that's the thing
It's TO win. to be at the top, to be able
to fly the pennant and to wear on ones
sleeve the navy e. a red letter on the
sleeve of the jacket indicating that the
wearer is one OF the engineers force
which helped to win the trophy for eff
ficiency.
And no medal-O honor man, no collie
gian who by virtue of hard knocks and
hard playing on the campus has won the
varsity and sports the initial Of his alma
mater on his sweater. ever felt prouder
of that badge of courage and fOrtitude
and prowess than the wearers OF the
navy letters are of theirs.
There are other navy letters, too. The
gunners wear theirs for efficiency at
target practice. It's blue e. on white,
if worn with blue clothes, or a white e.
on blue If worn with white clothes, and
by their "Es'' shall We know them.
1.-The results Of this competition" said
an officer of the navy, "have proved to
be most beneficial. Besides the large saw
ing made In coal and OIL. the ships have
been made almost independent of the
navy yards. the expense for repairs hav-
ing been cut down enormously. For the
past three years the Kansas has not had
a navy yard mechanic touch her engines
or boilers, and other ships have done as
well as the Kansas. When the latter
ship went to the navy yard last it was
chiefly to have copper pipes. which had
been worn away by the salt water re-
placed, at an expense of about 500. This
does not mean that no alterations were
made. On account of improvements con-
stantIy being devised, the ships are fire.
quently sent to the yards in order that
they may be kept up-to-date.''
1t has been decided by the Navy De-
partment that IL is best to change the
target practice program SO that the per-
sonnet Of each ship shall be as nearly
as possible the same during the year