Biographical Sketch 3 



notoriously corrupt, and to concentrate responsi- 

 bility in the Mayor and single heads of departments, 

 who could be held accountable; in other words, to 

 effect the transformation from what was suitable 

 for town-meeting government in New England or 

 New Holland one or two centuries ago to what was 

 required for the complicated cosmopolitan metropo- 

 lis of the nineteenth century. 



While in the Legislature he still found time for 

 literary work, and, in 1882, wrote The Naval War 

 of 1812, which told the story of our glorious suc- 

 cesses on the sea; it was written at a period when 

 our merchant marine was in decadence, our navy at 

 its lowest ebb, and public interest in the subject al- 

 most wholly lost. It was not without its effect on 

 the rebuilding of the navy which began two years 

 later, which fortunately for us had already reached 

 such a splendid development before 1898, and which 

 is still in progress. 



In 1884, severe domestic affliction and ill-health 

 caused Roosevelt to abandon his work in New York 

 and go to Wyoming. He invested a considerable 

 part of what he inherited from his father in a cattle 

 ranch, and intended and expected to remain in the 

 West for many years. The wild, outdoor life fas- 

 cinated him, and it brought him health and strength ; 

 in spite of defective eyesight he became a good shot, 

 and was particularly fond of hunting big game 

 where the other fellow had an even chance ; and the 

 peculiar characteristics of the cowboy, since called 

 cow-puncher, appealed alike to his sense of humor 



