The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1914-05-17

as it did not occur to me to consult the licu-
tenants But shortly before the feet started
went in the government yacht Mayhower to in
spect the target practice off Provincetown. l
was accompanied by two torpedo-boat destroy
ers, in charge of couple of naval lieutenants,
thorough game-cocks; and / had the two licu-
tenants aboard to dine one evening. Toward
the end of the dinner they could not refrain
from asking if the torpedo fotilla was to go
round with the big ships told them no, that
the admirals and captains did not believe that
the torpedo-boats could stand it, and believed
that the officers and crews aboard the cookie
shells would be worn out by the constant pitch
ing and bouncing and the everlasting need 10
make repairs. My two guests chorused an eager
assurance that the boats could stand it. They
assured me that the enlisted men were even
more anxious to 60 than were the officers, men-
tioning that on one of their boats the terms of
enlistment of most of the crew were out, and
the men were waiting to see whether or not to
re-enlist as they did not to do so unless The
boats were to 60 on the cruise. / answered that
| was only too glad to accept the word of the
should certainly go, and within half an hour l
sent out the order for the hotilla to be got
ready. 1t went round in fine shape not boat
being laid up. l felt that the feat reflected even
more credit upon the navy than did the crcun-
navigation of the big ships, and l wrote the flo
tilla commander the following letter:
MAY IS, 1908.
my dear Captain Cone:
"A great deal of attention has been paid to the
feat of our bastleship feet in encirclng South
America and getting to San Francisco; and it
would be hard too highly to compliment the Off
GERS and enlisted men of that feet for what they
have done. Yet if l shall draw any distinction
at all it would be in favor of you and your asso-
ciates who have taken out the torpedo flotilla
Yours was an even more notable feat, and every
officer and every enlisted man in the torpedo
boat fotia has the right to feel that he has rem
dered distinguished service to the United States
navy and therefore to the people of the United
States; and l wish l could thank each of item
personally. Will you have this letter read ny the
commanding officer of each torpedo-boat to his
officers and crew?
Sincerely yours,
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
Lieut.. Commander Hutch. l. Cone u S. NJ,
Commanding Second Torpedo Flotilla,
Care Postmaster, San Francisco, Cal"
There were various amusing features con-
nected with the trip. Most of the wealthy peo-
pie and leaders of opinion in the Eastern cities
were panlc-stricken at the proposal to take the
feet away from Atlantic waters. The great New
York dailies issued frantic appeals to Congress
to stop the fleet from going The head of the
Senate Committee on Naval Affairs announced
that the feet should not and could not 90. be-
cause Congress would refuse to appropriate the
money! he being from an Eastern seaboard
State However, L announced in response that
had enough money to take the fleet around to
the Pacific anyhow, that the fleet would certainly
go, and that if Congress did not choose to ap-
propriate enough money to get the feet back,
why, it would stay in the Pacific There was no
further difficulty about the money
Invited by Australia.
1t was not originally my intention that the
feet should visit Australia, but the Australian
government sent most cordial invitation, which
| gladly accepted; for have, as every American
ought to have, hearty admiration for, and fell
lowfeengS with, Australia, and | believe that
America should be ready to stand back of Aus
tralia in any serious emergency. The reception
accorded the feet II, Australia, ,r,e ,,,onl.-f,J