Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1915-05-16
Hero of Spanish American
War Writes Glowing Eulogy
Of Efficiency Of American
Fleet.
BETTER PREPARED THAN
ANY OTHER COUNTRY
Personnel Higher, Though
Number Of Ships Is Not So
Great, Than Seamen of
Any Other Nation,
t.y MORNING Jovas.L SPECIAL LEASED wisei

tsy sosn,ae JOURNAL SPECIAL lstseo wiseI
I New York, May Is. - Admira
George Dewey, president of the gen.
eral board Of the navy for the last fiji.
teen years, sent a letter to a banquet
of the Officers of the Atlantic fleet
here tonight, in which he said that
'the efficiency of the fleet has stead
lily progressed and has never been So
high as il is today"
/ The letter was read by Secretary
Daniels.
| THE people of New York have just
cause for pride in the fleet now as
sembled In their habcr." wrote Ad-
| miral Dewey. Not only is IT COM
/ posed of the finest and most efficient
warships that we have ever had, but
ii is not excelled except in size, by
the fleet of any nation in the world /;
cur officers are as good as any, and
our enlisted men are superior In train
ing. education. physical development
and devotion to duty, to those of any
other navy. As president of the gem
eral board for the last fifteen years,
| can say with absolute confidence
that the efficiency of the fleet has
steadily progressed and has never
been so high as II is today.
However, We need more ships,
more officers and more men, aud
should continue the wise policy of in
creasing the size of our navy. which
must remain our first and best line
of defense. This defense unless ade-
quate, Is impotent, and adequacy Is
not reached until the navy is strong
enough to meet on equal terms the
navy of the strongest possible adver-
sary.r
Admiral Dewey thanked the city
officials or New York for their hos
pitality 70 the officers and men of
fhe fleet, and expressed his regret at
not being able to be present ut the
dinner. He recalled the welcome the
city gave MIN when he returned from
Manila on the Olympia in 1899 and
added that 'it is a source of deep sat
isfaction to know that the interest of
our citizens In their great navy has
not diminished in the sixteen years
that have elapsed since that time
Elaborate Banquet.
The most elaborate celebration
since the Atlantic fleet arrived in New
York harbor last Saturday to be re-
viewed next Monday by President
Wilson, was given tonight when the
mayors committee rendered a dinner
to the officers of the fleet. Secretary
of the Navy Daniels was the chief
speaker. Acting Mayor McAneny was
host and toastmaster
More than 600 persons were pres
eht at the dinner, including 200 offic-
ers of the feet, Among these were
Admiral Fletcher, commanding the
fleet, and Rear Admirals D. w. Coff-
man, II, T. Mayo, r. ~ Usher, c. j.
Boush and Walter Mclean. Major
General Leonard Wood. L. S. A..
commanding the department of the
east, and Major General George Bar
nett. u. S. NJ. c., were also among
the guests.
The speakers besides the secretary
of the navy were Admiral Fletcher
and Major General Wood.
Need Stronger Fleet.
Admiral Fletcher said the officers
had been impressed by the interest
that had been taken in the navy by
the people of New York. He added
that battleships alone were inade-
quate and become a prey to torpedo
boats, submarines and mines and that
1t is necessary to have different types
of vessels to compete with them and
protect the battleships. He also em-
phasized the need of large scouting
cruisers, destroyers and submarines. !
Major General Wood said 1t was
very important to the government
that the navy should grow and that
It must grow to be adequate.
In speaking of the militia, General |
Wood said that to be an effective /
support and part of the first line of /
defense it has got to become very |
much more federalized." Otherwise, 1
he said, the nation would have to !
wage war in the future as il has in
he past 'as confederacy.'
Ships Are Illuminated.
Hundreds of thousands of specta- /
-ors lined riverside drive and gath,
sred in Riverside park tonight to see
he Illuminated ships of the Atlantic /
ieet anchored in the Hudson river
md witness display of fireworks
rom floats in the river near where
he big ships swung Band concerts
ver given In the park nearby The
display was one of the
most notable in the citys history and
marked the close Of a week of enter
ainment for the officers and men of
he fleet.