The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1916-03-30


10 OF them IN the navy. The navy
itself consisted OF but Eve steam yes
sells classed as first.rates, and they
we're obsolete and UNIT for active
duty. George Barnett, his roommate,
went into the Marine Corps and is
now a major general and the com
mandant Of that branch Of the naval
service.
In Florida, where he had been en-.
gagged as surveyor on O railroad, the
late Midshipman Weeks learned that
an old Arm In Boston was going out
Of business. One OF the partners had
died and another had become blind.
Henry Hornblower, a son OF one OF
the partners, and the youthful Mr..
Weeks bought the business, the lat
ter borrowing the money with which
to begin his career as a banker and
broker.
Honblower acted for the firm on
the floor OF the Boston Stock Ex-
change. Weeks kept the books and
waited on the customers as they APP
peared In a few years the two young
men had Offices all over New England
and In cities as far away as Chicago.
II got my first valuable business
idea from a famous New England
dressmaker," Captain Weeks said to
the writer OF this articl "A friend
Who came to spend the night at our
house was talking to Mrs. Weeks
while | was reading a newspaper.
heard her say that she had bought a
dress in Boston, and that soon after.
on returning to the store, the pro-
.Vfn ~
asked II she had purchased the dress
she was wearing at his establishment
On learning that she had, he said:
1T is not right Please give your
name and address to the clerk and we
shall correct the matter at once
A story Of Great .aIue.
But the woman replied, the dress
is satisfactory to me. Whatever is
wrong is so small that It is not worth
mentioning.
Small to you, madam the man
answered but very large to u.s.
And do you know the woman
told Mrs. Weeks. the dress was not
only taken back, but II was kept and
| was given new one.
Il repeated the story to my partner
next day." Captain Weeks said, and
from that time onward we tried to
please our customers before we
thought of ourselves and the probable
profits we could make In our trans
actions"
Three years ago, following at once
his election to the upper House OF
Congress, Captain Weeks sold out to
his partners and disposed of every in
terest that might be thought, even In
directly. to influence his judgment as
lawmaker. II II said In New Eng
land that he has always been very
careful about his reputation as bust
ness man. An anecdote told of him
in State street the Wall street OF Bos-
ton, shows how his sensitiveness to
public opinion on one occasion proved
highly profitable TO HIS partner and
himself
a run on q bank in which Captain
Weeks was a director. though he
owned but $500 OF the stock, threat
ened so he feared. to injure his stand
ing in the community. He spent q
day and a night at the bank, pledged
twothirds OF all the property he and
his partner owned for the payment OF
the banks debts and put through a re-
facilitating plan under which the
shareholders we're assessed 80 per
cent on their holdings. The bank
was saved, but some of the fright
oned shareholders sold out Their in
tcrests were promptly bought by
Captain Weeks. The bank prospered
and later was combin with other
large banks Boston financiers say
that Mr.. Hornblower and Mr. Weeks
ultimately made $250,000 on the stock
which they purchased when the bank
seemed to be on the verge OF ruin.
When asked Captain Weeks about
the matter, he said Il was a young
man and couldn't afford to be a d.
rector in a bank that had closed its
doors In the faces of its depositors,
many OF whom were poor and most
Of whom were small merchants and
Tage-earners"
How" asked him. inasmuch as
he was a sailor himself ohce, and is
now on terms of intimacy with many
high officers. would you describe the
navy of the United States?"
AT the outbreak OF the war in Eu-
rope" he answered. "our navy, in my
opinion, was the second best in exis-
tence. Authorities for whom have
great respect did not agree with me.
They ranked our navy third or fourth
some giving France second place
and some believing Germany was
stronger at sea than ourselves.
Il still think that in ships alone we
we're the equal Of France or Germany
and much the superior OF Japan. Our
officers are the ablest In the world;
our crews are the most intelligent. No
nation gives its officers the training
that is given to the naval officers OF
the United States. And the men In
our ships, coming from farms and VII
lagos, in large part, are the finest
and physically anoat,
In my days, back in 1880, let us say,
he sailor on shore leave who returned
10 his ship sober was keelhauled or
otherwise punished by his mates. All |
hat has changed. Intoxicated sailors
ire see no more on the streets. Our
men are sober, serious and capable. /
When an estimate OF any navy. is |
made, the personnel. as well as the |
hips. must be considered.
Lessons Of the War.
80 / had thought that only Great
}rtain excelled US as a naval power |
Il the outbreak OF the war in Europe. |
Since the war started. France and |
Germany have geen building ships.
)ur rank Just now, therefore, is On.
ertain. But we have q good navy. |
still, Il should be much larger"
Has the war taught the world any