INTRODUCTORY PROCEEDINGS. xxxvii 



during which time the then called New Navy was largely designed and constructed, 

 he always served his country and his fellow-man with distinction and honor. He 

 served, this Society as Vice-President since its organization and contributed much 

 to its welfare by his contributions to the proceedings and by his influence. A 

 rugged character and a staunch friend. As has been well said in one of his best 

 biographies, "As an officer and as an engineer, the gospel of his life to the very last 

 was 'Work' — he asked nothing from his subordinates which he did not give himself." 



Walter A. Post died February 12, 191 2, aged fifty-five years. He served this 

 Society as Member of Council from the annual meeting of 1900 until the time of 

 his death. His ability fully warranted his promotion a few years ago to the presi- 

 dency of one of the most prominent shipyards of this country. His counsel, always 

 given with his modest, rather retiring manner, endeared him to his fellow members, 

 who with his other numerous friends mourn his sudden death. 



Clement Acton Griscom, Past President, who died November 10, 191 2, in his 

 seventy-second year, was one of the founders of this Society and its first president, 

 which office he held for ten successive years. Entering in early life the office of a 

 shipping firm, he became one of the most prominent men in marine affairs in this 

 country. He ardently hoped for a full restoration of the American merchant 

 marine, and at one period dared to dream of seeing the flag flying over the seas of 

 the world. His interest in this Society, his influence in its development, his charm- 

 ing, genial manner, and his encouraging words to all will long be remembered. 



The American merchant marine has always been one subject that your presi- 

 dents have felt called upon to mention in their addresses. I thought last year 

 that I would not venture again to speak on that topic, but recent action of Congress 

 and recent action of the people at the polls impel me to say a few words. 



One is tempted to quote Shakespeare's Richard III, using but the first half of 

 the sentence, and say, "Now is the Winter of our discontent. * * *" 



The party so long in office has accomplished nothing unless it be possible that 

 the riders forced upon the act governing the management of the Panama Canal 

 can really be in any way construed to be advantageous. The President-elect in 

 his letter of acceptance of his nomination gave us some ringing sentences like these : 

 "Without a great merchant marine we cannot take our rightful place in the com- 

 merce of the world;" "It would be a little ridiculous if we should build it (the 

 Panama Canal) and have no ships to send through it, " and his conclusion is, "That 

 we must build and buy ships in competition with the world. We can do it if we 

 but give ourselves leave. " 



It is not to be expected that a candidate in his letter of acceptance covering so 

 many important issues would foretell how soon we can build ships in competition 

 with the world, or if we bought ships abroad how we may run them in competition 

 with the world, even with a modified tariff, any more than the President in the 

 midst of an important political campaign can be expected to justify the signing of 

 a Panama Canal act with riders containing legislation not germane to the subject of 

 the act, being thus quite inconsistent with his own previous action on another act. 



