第84章

of-war’smenaseverlookedthroughaporthole，gameforafightorafrolic，butwithalsoself-respectingandwithsuchasenseofresponsibilitythatinalltheportsinwhichtheylandedtheirconductwasexemplary。Thefleetpracticedincessantlyduringthevoyage，bothwiththegunsandinbattletactics，andcamehomeamuchmoreefficientfightinginstrumentthanwhenitstartedsixteenmonthsbefore。

Thebestmenofcommandrankinourownservicewereconfidentthatthefleetwouldgoroundinsafety，inspiteoftheincredulityofforeigncritics。Eventhey，however，didnotbelievethatitwaswisetosendthetorpedocraftaround。Iaccordinglyacquiescedintheirviews，asitdidnotoccurtometoconsultthelieutenants。Butshortlybeforethefleetstarted，IwentintheGovernmentyachtMayflowertoinspectthetargetpracticeoffProvincetown。Iwasaccompaniedbytwotorpedoboatdestroyers，inchargeofacoupleofnavallieutenants，thoroughgamecocks；andIhadthetwolieutenantsaboardtodineoneevening。Towardstheendofthedinnertheycouldnotrefrainfromaskingifthetorpedoflotillawastogoroundwiththebigships。Itoldthemno，thattheadmiralsandcaptainsdidnotbelievethatthetorpedoboatscouldstandit，andbelievedthattheofficersandcrewsaboardthecockleshellswouldbewornoutbytheconstantpitchingandbouncingandtheeverlastingneedtomakerepairs。Mytwoguestschorusedaneagerassurancethattheboatscouldstandit。Theyassuredmethattheenlistedmenwereevenmoreanxioustogothanweretheofficers，mentioningthatononeoftheirboatsthetermsofenlistmentofmostofthecrewwereout，andthemenwerewaitingtoseewhetherornottoreenlist，astheydidnotcaretodosounlesstheboatsweretogoonthecruise。IansweredthatIwasonlytoogladtoacceptthewordofthemenwhoweretodothejob，andthattheyshouldcertainlygo；andwithinhalfanhourI

sentouttheorderfortheflotillatobegotready。Itwentroundinfineshape，notaboatbeinglaidup。Ifeltthatthefeatreflectedevenmorecredituponthenavythandidthecircumnavigationofthebigships，andIwrotetheflotillacommanderthefollowingletter：

May18，1908。

MydearCaptainCone：

AgreatdealofattentionhasbeenpaidtothefeatofourbattleshipfleetinencirclingSouthAmericaandgettingtoSanFrancisco；anditwouldbehardtoohighlytocomplimenttheofficersandenlistedmenofthatfleetforwhattheyhavedone。

YetifIshoulddrawanydistinctionatallitwouldbeinfavorofyouandyourassociateswhohavetakenoutthetorpedoflotilla。Yourswasanevenmorenotablefeat，andeveryofficerandeveryenlistedmaninthetorpedoboatflotillahastherighttofeelthathehasrendereddistinguishedservicetotheUnitedStatesnavyandthereforetothepeopleoftheUnitedStates；andIwishIcouldthankeachofthempersonally。Willyouhavethisletterreadbythecommandingofficerofeachtorpedoboattohisofficersandcrew？

Sincerelyyours，THEODOREROOSEVELT。

LIEUTENANTCOMMANDERHUTCH。I。CONE，U。S。N。，CommandingSecondTorpedoFlotilla，CarePostmaster，SanFrancisco，Cal。

Therewerevariousamusingfeaturesconnectedwiththetrip。Mostofthewealthypeopleand“leadersofopinion“intheEasterncitieswerepanic-struckattheproposaltotakethefleetawayfromAtlanticwaters。ThegreatNewYorkdailiesissuedfranticappealstoCongresstostopthefleetfromgoing。TheheadoftheSenateCommitteeonNavalAffairsannouncedthatthefleetshouldnotandcouldnotgobecauseCongresswouldrefusetoappropriatethemoney——hebeingfromanEasternseaboardState。However，IannouncedinresponsethatIhadenoughmoneytotakethefleetaroundtothePacificanyhow，thatthefleetwouldcertainlygo，andthatifCongressdidnotchoosetoappropriateenoughmoneytogetthefleetback，why，itwouldstayinthePacific。Therewasnofurtherdifficultyaboutthemoney。

ItwasnotoriginallymyintentionthatthefleetshouldvisitAustralia，buttheAustralianGovern