Salt Lake Tribune | 1916-12-28 | Page 6 | Dewey is 79

DEWEY IS 79. Admiral George Dewey, ranking officer of-ficer of the American navy, has just celebrated his seventy-ninth birthday and, being hale and hearty, bids fair to remain in the service of his country for several years to come. He is the sole surviving officer of either army or navy who took part in the civil war and still remains on the active list, and it is probable his record for length of service will never be excelled, t The whole country joins in the congratulations congratula-tions showered upon the' victor of Manila Ma-nila bay upon the occasion of his birthday. birth-day. Customs have changed since Admiral Dewey first fought for his country. In the old days grog was served to the men, while an officer who did not drink wine was a rarity. Now the whole naval na-val establishment is on the water wagon, officers as well as men. Dewey must have smiled grimly when Secretary Daniels Dan-iels read the extract from an officer's diary showing how the admiral, then a lieutenant aboard the old steam frigate Colorada, presented each bluejacket with a bottle of wine as a Christmas present. This was in 1866, fifty years ago. Nowadays Now-adays court-martial would follow such generosity upon the part of a naval officer.