The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-08-28
DANIELS WANTS STRONG NAVY
TELLS GOVERNORS OF HIS WORK
AND AIMS.
Gives Executives Taste of Sea Life
and View Of Mimic Torpedo Attack.

Boston, Aug. 25.-A powerful and
great navy and efficiency, so that it
will be ready to defend the country
against attack from any quarter, is
the aim of Secretary Daniels. This he
declared before the governors con-
ference at an adjourned session on
board the flagship Wyoming of the
North Atlantic fleet in Massachusetts,
bay.
For two hours the secretary stood
on the bridge Of the flagship while
Admiral Fletcher put the fleet through
manoeuvres illustrating attack and
defense. Then he Joined the COVER
nors in the admirars cabin and told
them why he had made them his
guests for the afternoon.
THE navy must abide in the hearts
or the whole country if it is to be
strong and powerful and made great"
the secretary said. 1T is for the peo-
pie, not the president or myself. to
say how great it shall be. AS YOU go
to your homes you will speak the
word that will help to determine this
question.
| "The greatest things that the navy
is doing are not heralded. Since the
war began there is not an officer in
any department Of the navy who has
not taken advantage of it's lessons.
Experiments are proceeding day and
night and today in every element our
navy has no superior in the world We
do have superiors in size and numbers
and it is for us to continue to
strengthen our navy.
Il believe we ought to increase
our navy steadily so that in times of
stress and emergency the real first
strong arm of our country will be
ready to defend our country If it is at.
tackled from any quarter"
The Wyoming picked up the gov
ernors at the Charleston navy yard;
and, taking a position a few miles
east of Boston lightship, became the
target for attack by 25 torpedo de-
stroyers after they had passed in re-
view with ten battleships. After the
review appeared to have been ended,
the destroyers suddenly reappeard.
On the flagship a general alarm
against torpedo attack was sounded
and soon the big guns of the Wyo-
ming began to fire blank shots at the
onrushing destroyers. The destroyers
circled the flagship, pouring forth
dense volumes of smoke made by ex-
cessive use Of OIL Soon the destroyers
were hidden behind the cloud. .-
The screen suddenly was broken by
the destroyer Ammen, which was OBJ
served dashing headon for the Wyo-
ming. The battleships' guns imme-
diately were trained on the attack
ing ship and thundered away. The
destroyer. however, came on and
when she had approached within
5000 yards discharged torpedo.
The missile was seen to strike the
water and then, submerged, make its
way towards the flagship. Thc latter.
however, in an instant had been put
Islightly to starboard, with a full head
of steam, and the speeding torpedo
passed few feet astern.
The attack by the destroyer was
tcounted and they withdrew.
After these exercises Secretary
Daniels met with the governors and
made his address. Late in the after
noon the party left in launches for
Gloucester, where they stopped for
moment at the home Of John Hays
Hammond. Thence they went in au-
tomobiles to he Eastern Yacht club
at Marblehead. where they were en-
tertained at dinner by the Boston
IChamber of Commerce.
Secretary Daniels responded to a
toast to President Wilson, paying a
high tribute to the executive, and do
lclaring that the president had left
nothing undone to establi the prop
Ter defenSa