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THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 



The theme of the evening, I under- 

 stand, is the American Navy. It is a 

 great theme, indeed, and one worthy of 

 the contemplation of this great organiza- 

 tion. 



The United States has had much to 

 do with the geography of the world in 

 the past few years. It has changed the 

 map of the republic, and it has changed 

 the map of the world. And the change 

 was largely accomplished through the 

 genius and courage of the American 

 Navy. There is one thing about the 

 American Navy I like above all others, 

 and that is that it has never brought other 

 than glory and honor to the flag of the 

 great republic. It is not a navy aggres- 

 sive against right. It is a navy that has 

 always been summoned, whenever sum- 

 moned, to vindicate right and justice, the 

 honor and good name of the great re- 

 public. 



I sat with President McKinley soon 

 after the breaking out of the Spanish 

 War. It was at the time the Oregon was 

 making her tremendous sweep from the 

 Pacific around South America into the 

 Atlantic Ocean to aid our navy upon our 

 eastern coast. It was rumored that the 

 Spanish fleet was lying in wait and with 

 multiplied numbers was expected to over- 

 come the Oregon, seize possession of her, 

 and turn her guns against the United 

 States herself. The President wore upon 

 his face evidence of the great stress and 

 strain through which he was passing. He 

 knew better than the American people 

 the gravity of the situation. He said to 

 the Secretary of the Navy, who was dis- 

 cussing the trip of the Oregon with him : 



"Mr. Secretary, if the Spanish fleet 

 overpowers Captain Clark, will he go 

 down with the Oregon?" 



"Yes, Mr. President; if Captain Clark 

 finds himself outnumbered by the enemy 

 he will carry his ship to the bottom of 

 the sea rather than surrender," 



And in that he voiced the sentiment of 

 every man who wore the naval uniform 

 or who wears it today. We take pride 

 in our war vessels, majestic, powerful, 

 and invincible as they are. But the thing 

 that most stimulates our pride is the char- 

 acter of the men who man our vessels 



of war. I met an English lady who 

 had recently returned from Australia, 

 and who honored our city with a visit 

 a few days ago. She said to me, "What 

 is the most magnificent spectacle you ever 

 saw?" I answered her, and then turned 

 the inquiry to her and asked, "What is 

 the most magnificent spectacle you ever 

 rested your eyes upon?" And said she, 

 "The most sublime thing I ever saw or 

 ever expect to see was the great Ameri- 

 can squadron as it entered and anchored 

 in Sydney Bay. Thousands and thou- 

 sands of Australians had gathered there, 

 and with loud cheers welcomed the great 

 fleet, which was the visible evidence of 

 the majesty and power of the Republic 

 of the United States." 



We indulge the hope that our Navy 

 will always be regarded among the peo- 

 ples of the earth as a harbinger of peace. 

 We also entertain the confident hope that 

 the cause of international arbitration may 

 increase more rapidly than the navies of 

 the world may develop, and that differ- 

 ences between nations may be honorably 

 adjusted in arbitral tribunals. While we 

 delight to honor the Navy, we also de- 

 light to honor those who seek to advance 

 the cause of peace without a resort to the 

 sword. 



I want to again extend to you a greet- 

 ing here. It is a delightful privilege we 

 enjoy to gather here and meet and mingle 

 as guests of this great Geographic Soci- 

 ety. I thank you, Mr Toastmaster, 

 ladies and gentlemen, for your courtesy 

 and your kindness. 



the: TOASTMASTER 



The navies of the world have pro- 

 tected and made free the highways of 

 marine commerce. They have brought 

 together the East and the West; they 

 have distributed the civilizations of the 

 more enlightened nations, and have im- 

 pressed them upon less rigorous peoples, 

 to the great benefit of the latter. Our 

 own Navy may be properly celebrated 

 for the things that it has done in peace 

 as well as those that it has accomplished 

 in war, and the Hon. Truman H. New- 

 berry will speak to the toast, "The Navy 

 in Peace." 



