The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1913-04-15
MADE FIRST
OF GREAT FLEET
They Hear Guns Roar For
Twenty Minutes and
Have Eyes Opened.

iels was plainly surprised at what he
saw and said so.
"I'm a two battleship man, Mr.. Sec
retary," said Secretary McAdoo after
the party had been at sea for half an
hour. well, it's a beautiful ship" re-
piled the secretary of the navy 81
still think l was right" said Mr.. Burle-
son. We've been going ahead too
fast. Still, as you say, it's magnifi-
cent ship. Let's see how many have
we like this"
zone other" answered Lieutenant
Commander Leigh G. Palmer, naval
aid to the secretary. only one?' said
Mr.. Daniels. well. wellp'
The targets. three Of them in tow
of the Connecticut, the South Carolina
and the Minnesota, were sighted on the
hazy southern horizon few minutes
after IL o'clock. The big battleships
towing them were barely distinguish
able, and the targets themselves looked
like pinholes in a blanket.
Workmanship Improving.
II understand you hit those things
about once out of ten times" said Mr..
Daniels. 1--WE used to- replied Com
mander Carl T. Vogelgesang. "but we
do better now" Commander Charles
F. Hughes. chief of staff. and Pay In
spector Samuel McGowan began to pass
around wads of cotton, and members
of the party stuffed their ears. The
firing was deferred, however, for after
the Wyoming had come about twice
to get the proper range tramp steam
ship stood in between the battleships.
and the Wyoming slowed down for
half an hour until the intruder was
safely out of the way.
Secretary Daniels and his party
climbed up to the searchlight platform,
just above the bridge, as the turrets
swung to starboard and the great muz
zles rose menacingly. Everybody was
in tense expectancy. Mr.. Daniels seiz-
ed one of the rods of the basket mast
and held fast. He was just in time,
for one of the guns in the forward tur
ret which was fired to determine the
range, let go with a terrific crash. The
hot blast of the flame and yellow ether
NdpOl Sll uNh lIC lttiNl VI lllc navy lull
in the face. but he only pulled his cap
down over his head and took a grip
with both hands.
Gets a Genuine Thrill"
The Wyoming after firing seventy
two shots lowered the red firing flag
and steamed over to examine the tar
get, and the North Dakota and the
Florida, six and eight miles astern, re-
peated the performance on the other
targets.
81 tell you," said Mr.. Daniels when
he descended from the platform, there
are several times in a mans life when
he gets a genuine thrill-his first pair
of red top boots, his first top, his first
girl and time like this. You see, it's
like this: I'm secretary of the navy
without knowing any more about it
than the average country editor. So
Pm going to make it a study. One of
the mysteries to me is the wireless"
AS he spoke Commander Hughes
handed him wireless message from
It. d. Roosevelt, assistant secretary of
! the navy. This is the second wireless
message l ever received. sent the
first in my life this morning to my
wife on board the Mayfower. The
first l ever received was when she an
swered it half an hour later. 1t seems
wonderful to me-"
Later in the afternoon Lieutenant
Byron McCandless, flag lieutenant,
went over to the Idaho and brought
the women of the party to the Wyo-
ming, which took them back to Hamp-
ton Roads, and all the party except
Secretary Daniels returned on board
| the Mayfower to Washington.
Mrs. Daniels and Miss Wilson were
especially delighted with the ships. 81
think we have a regular navy" Miss
| Wilson said. The Wyoming's band
| entertained the party with a concert
on the after deck during the trip back.
With Secretary Daniels on board the
! Wyoming she steamed to sea again and
then acted as illumination ship for
night torpedo practice.