New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-10-06

r@ HE grim, gray line of war vessels
to be assembled in the North River
T. this week will represent fabulous
sum OF money TO the average taxpayer
confronted with the high cost Of living
and who, through force of circumstances,
bases his sense Of values solely on the
gold standard, II might be interesting TO
know Just how many times the earth
could be girdled with an imaginary RIBBON
made of the one dollar bills representing
the cost Of the one hundred and twenty
three vessels constituting the feet. But
monetary values are Of only incidental in
terest and Importance in this story.
MANY thousands Of visitors will swarm
over the sides Of these fighting ships OF
ours. look them over complacenty, be
duly impressed. go away with a slightly
more arched chest and a self administered
pat on the back. feeling, perhaps and
even admitting to their friends, that "our
navy does us credit" and let it go at
. that. But II you, Mr.. New Yorker, or
Mr.. Anywhere Else, are suffering from
torpidity Of patriotism, take advantage Of
the opportupity offered you while these
war vessels are in our harbor and study
them carefully
II Won are a keen observer Of either mon
or things you will not be aboard one OF
these ships very long before the red cor
muscles Of your blood will be dancing mer-
,ilv I'D and down your spine, for battle
shin. with its thousands of interesting
features and it's crew OF approximately
nine hundred sound, able-bodied Ameri-
can citizens, offers TO any one possessed
OF even quiescent patriotic impulses an
object lesson long to be remembered
Efficiency and enthusiasm have never
been correlated by the etymologisls but
among the officers and men constituting
,he personnel Of the fleet these two sim
nile English words seem to be insepara-
BILE and may be accurately designated as
their creed. But In order to learn well the
lesson and meaning of these huge noat-
ing steel forts, one should 80 10 sea
aboard one Of them and see what Amerl-
can ingenuity can actually accomplish
WITH THE FLEEr AT PRACTICE.
,rbe writer recently~had the opportunity
OF spending a week aboard the United
states battleship Florida while the fleets
target, practice was In progress on the
Southern drill ground. OFF the virginia
Canes Having received the necessary
nernission from the Secretary OF the
Navy. he proceeded TO Old Point Comfort
whore ne boarded the converted yacht
Yankton TO be taken to the fleet ABOUT
forty miles at sea.
The Yankton is not the most comfort
able ship of the navy under ideal con-
ditions. but going to sea aboard her IN
the teeth Of a forty-mile gale Is an ex-
periepce which may conservauvely be
termed impressive.
Having aboard as shipmates about fifty
naval officers assigned 70 the feet as UNI
pires and observers during target prac-
lice. one was, OF course justified in ex-
Meeting diversion; and one was not disap-
pointed, for among the passengers we're
ouite a number OF officers the major
part of whose service at sea had been
on ships OF the dreadnought class, which
are notably steady in the toughest sea-
. Yankton however is small vessel
y ,ess than one thousand tons displace-
rnent When she put her nose outside the
Canes a racing shell could not have
pitched and tossed more violently.
II was not very long before some OF
the players in the auction bridge games.
which had been arranged on the pier at