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Show II SKIM TALKS TO CADETS Sound, Sensible Advice to the Young Officers by Head of Great Department. ANNAPOLIS, Md., Juno 3. SccVo-tory SccVo-tory of tho Nuvy Meyer, told tho graduating gradu-ating clnss at the naval acadom- here today that' "the navy should be so constituted con-stituted and drilled that it will have at all time9 tho greatest possiblo military mili-tary efficiency." "Under such conditions only," ho added, "can tho navy protect tho interests in-terests of the country and insure peace. Tho navy is only a menace and a needless need-less expense when it is pormittcd to deteriorate and when tho military spirit weakens." Taking models of tho original Kear-sarge Kear-sarge and of tho modern battleship Michigan, which are in his office in Washington, Mr. Meyer said he could think of "no comparison that would demonstrate so well at a glanco how tho duties of tho naval ollicor have changed, and with it tho characteristics of tho officer and blue .inckot." Then after speaking of tho enlisted men of the navy, saying that, whilo in former years it was often difficult to man the ships with American 6ailors, today OG Cor cent of tho crews are Americans, o continued: "While tho change in the requirements require-ments of the onlisted man is vorv great, it is equally, if not more, marked in the officer, and tho transformation that has taken plnco in tho navy is a transfor mation not only in personnel, out in material and in the methods of handling hand-ling both." In conclusion tho secretary admonished admon-ished tho young officers fo lot their aim be "an earnest endeavor at all times to attain the highest efficiency and not to bo satisfied with anything else." "The country looks to you," ho asserted, as-serted, '.'not morely to bo content to step in tho footprints of your predecessors, prede-cessors, .but to make your own footprints and ro do under all circumstances the best that is in you, whether in peace or in war, and thus maintain tho reputation repu-tation of the American navy for pro-grcssLvcness, pro-grcssLvcness, efficiency and courage." |