Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-08
COMMITTEE FAVORS
!. OIL MP|A PROPOSAL
Naval Body Believes Cruiser
Should Be Preserved as Ma
!. tionaI Capital Memorial.

Members of the House naval affairs
committee, who will be the first to pass
upon the bill authorizing the preserva-
ton of Admiral Dewey's flagship, the
Olympia. which brought home the body
of the Unknown Soldier, and which a
Navy board of inspection recommended
be scrapped for junk, are favorable to
preserving this historic craft as a me-
mortal to be visited by school children
and other visitors to the National
Capital.
Representative John F. Miller, Re-
publican. of Washington State, saws:
The Olympia has been at the Phila-
delphla Navy Yard for several years and
can well remain there until some ex-
preston OF the public sentiment be had
looking toward its preservation. The
President or Secretary of the Navy can
exempt it from the present scrapping
program Personally, 1 would like to
see the vessel preserved, if the naval
survey as to its present condition, the
amount OF money necessary to place II
in a suitable state of preservation and
lts probable use hereafter will show 1t
warranted" -
representative John F. Quayle, Demo-
crat, of New York, says: Il believe the
eliort to preserve Dewey's battleship is
Brings Back Memories.
The recommendation that Dewevs
nagship be retired and disposed of to-
DAY brought to Rear Admiral Mont
gomery M. Taylor, one of the few men
remaining in the service who were
aboard her at Manila Bay, memories
OF the days in which he paced her deck
as an ensign.
1t was on that deck where later the
body of Americas Unknown Soldier was
TO rest en- route from France that Ad-
mlral Dewey turned to Capt. Gridley
and spoke these unforgotten words:
You may fire when you are ready,
Gridley"
But Admiral Taylor had other men,
cries. He recalled that after the battle
every boat from home brought Admiral
Dewey fresh presents from his admir-
ers. His bootmaker sent him IL pairs
OF shoes. Somebody dispatched barrel
of hams. Another, for some reason
chose TO send him broom.
They received no decorations in those
days, but each member of the crew
drew prize money. Ensign Taylors
share amounted to between $500 and
$500. They returned home eventually
by way of European ports and the
admiral today smiled as he related that
not penny of his prize money reached
America.
Not Impressed With Battle.
The battle itself apparently did not
impress the young ensign so greatly.
He recalled seeing heavy shells land
300 yards from the ship. but none
nearer. He remembered, too going to
investigate group of gunners who
had crawled out of a turret through a
port and were gathered on narrow
galley. He found them picking up for
souvenirs small bits Of Spanish projec-
tiles which were smashing on the
turret armor.
But it was when the Olympia re-
turned to this country and tied up at
Staten Island that Ensign Taylor had
his hands full. A mob stormed the
ship such as he had never seen. He
was assigned to keep order on deck
and found himself desperately engaged
in keeping visitors from falling through
skylights.
A big chap approached him and said:
II guess I'm a better man for this
Job than you arc"
And who are your" retorted Taylor.
81 am Jim Jefrries" was the reply.
But Jeffries did not get the job.