of-war’smenaseverlookedthroughaporthole，gameforafightorafrolic，butwithalsoself-respectingandwithsuchasenseofresponsibilitythatinalltheportsinwhichtheylandedtheirconductwasexemplary。Thefleetpracticedincessantlyduringthevoyage，bothwiththegunsandinbattletactics，andcamehomeamuchmoreefficientfightinginstrumentthanwhenitstartedsixteenmonthsbefore。
Thebestmenofcommandrankinourownservicewereconfidentthatthefleetwouldgoroundinsafety，inspiteoftheincredulityofforeigncritics。Eventhey，however，didnotbelievethatitwaswisetosendthetorpedocraftaround。Iaccordinglyacquiescedintheirviews，asitdidnotoccurtometoconsultthelieutenants。Butshortlybeforethefleetstarted，IwentintheGovernmentyachtMayflowertoinspectthetargetpracticeoffProvincetown。Iwasaccompaniedbytwotorpedoboatdestroyers，inchargeofacoupleofnavallieutenants，thoroughgamecocks；andIhadthetwolieutenantsaboardtodineoneevening。Towardstheendofthedinnertheycouldnotrefrainfromaskingifthetorpedoflotillawastogoroundwiththebigships。Itoldthemno，thattheadmiralsandcaptainsdidnotbelievethatthetorpedoboatscouldstandit，andbelievedthattheofficersandcrewsaboardthecockleshellswouldbewornoutbytheconstantpitchingandbouncingandtheeverlastingneedtomakerepairs。Mytwoguestschorusedaneagerassurancethattheboatscouldstandit。Theyassuredmethattheenlistedmenwereevenmoreanxioustogothanweretheofficers，mentioningthatononeoftheirboatsthetermsofenlistmentofmostofthecrewwereout，andthemenwerewaitingtoseewhetherornottoreenlist，astheydidnotcaretodosounlesstheboatsweretogoonthecruise。IansweredthatIwasonlytoogladtoacceptthewordofthemenwhoweretodothejob，andthattheyshouldcertainlygo；andwithinhalfanhourI
sentouttheorderfortheflotillatobegotready。Itwentroundinfineshape，notaboatbeinglaidup。Ifeltthatthefeatreflectedevenmorecredituponthenavythandidthecircumnavigationofthebigships，andIwrotetheflotillacommanderthefollowingletter：
May18，1908。
MydearCaptainCone：
AgreatdealofattentionhasbeenpaidtothefeatofourbattleshipfleetinencirclingSouthAmericaandgettingtoSanFrancisco；anditwouldbehardtoohighlytocomplimenttheofficersandenlistedmenofthatfleetforwhattheyhavedone。
YetifIshoulddrawanydistinctionatallitwouldbeinfavorofyouandyourassociateswhohavetakenoutthetorpedoflotilla。Yourswasanevenmorenotablefeat，andeveryofficerandeveryenlistedmaninthetorpedoboatflotillahastherighttofeelthathehasrendereddistinguishedservicetotheUnitedStatesnavyandthereforetothepeopleoftheUnitedStates；andIwishIcouldthankeachofthempersonally。Willyouhavethisletterreadbythecommandingofficerofeachtorpedoboattohisofficersandcrew？
Sincerelyyours，THEODOREROOSEVELT。
LIEUTENANTCOMMANDERHUTCH。I。CONE，U。S。N。，CommandingSecondTorpedoFlotilla，CarePostmaster，SanFrancisco，Cal。
Therewerevariousamusingfeaturesconnectedwiththetrip。Mostofthewealthypeopleand“leadersofopinion“intheEasterncitieswerepanic-struckattheproposaltotakethefleetawayfromAtlanticwaters。ThegreatNewYorkdailiesissuedfranticappealstoCongresstostopthefleetfromgoing。TheheadoftheSenateCommitteeonNavalAffairsannouncedthatthefleetshouldnotandcouldnotgobecauseCongresswouldrefusetoappropriatethemoney——hebeingfromanEasternseaboardState。However，IannouncedinresponsethatIhadenoughmoneytotakethefleetaroundtothePacificanyhow，thatthefleetwouldcertainlygo，andthatifCongressdidnotchoosetoappropriateenoughmoneytogetthefleetback，why，itwouldstayinthePacific。Therewasnofurtherdifficultyaboutthemoney。
ItwasnotoriginallymyintentionthatthefleetshouldvisitAustralia，buttheAustralianGovernmentsentamostcordialinvitation，whichIgladlyaccepted；forIhave，aseveryAmericanoughttohave，aheartyadmirationfor，andfellowfeelingwith，Australia，andIbelievethatAmericashouldbereadytostandbackofAustraliainanyseriousemergency。ThereceptionaccordedthefleetinAustraliawaswonderful，anditshowedthefundamentalcommunityoffeelingbetweenourselvesandthegreatcommonwealthoftheSouthSeas。Theconsiderate，generous，andopen-handedhospitalitywithwhichtheentireAustralianpeopletreatedourofficersandmencouldnothavebeensurpassedhadtheybeenourowncountrymen。ThefleetfirstvisitedSydney，whichhasasingularlybeautifulharbor。Thedayafterthearrivaloneofourcaptainsnoticedamemberofhiscrewtryingtogotosleeponabenchinthepark。Hehadfixedabovehisheadalargepaperwithsomelinesevidentlydesignedtoforestallanyquestionsfromfriendlywould-behosts：“IamdelightedwiththeAustralianpeople。Ithinkyourharborthefinestintheworld。Iamverytiredandwouldliketogotosleep。”
ThemostnoteworthyincidentofthecruisewasthereceptiongiventoourfleetinJapan。Incourtesyandgoodbreeding，theJapanesecancertainlyteachmuchtothenationsoftheWesternworld。IhadbeenverysurethatthepeopleofJapanwouldunderstandarightwhatthecruisemeant，andwouldacceptthevisitofourfleetasthesignalhonorwhichitwasmeanttobe，aproofofthehighregardandfriendshipIfelt，andwhichIwascertaintheAmericanpeoplefelt，forthegreatIslandEmpire。Theeventevensurpassedmyexpectations。
IcannottoostronglyexpressmyappreciationofthegenerouscourtesytheJapaneseshowedtheofficersandcrewsofourfleet；andImayaddthateverymanofthemcamebackafriendandadmireroftheJapanese。
AdmiralSperrywrotemealetterofmuchinterest，dealingnotonlywiththereceptioninTokyobutwiththeworkofourmenatsea；I
herewithgiveitalmostinfull：
28October，1908。
DearMr。Roosevelt：
MyofficialreportofthevisittoJapangoesforwardinthismail，buttherearecertainaspectsoftheaffairsosuccessfullyconcludedwhichcannotwellbeincludedinthereport。
YouareperhapsawarethatMr。DenisonoftheJapaneseForeignOfficewasoneofmycolleaguesatTheHague，forwhomIhaveaveryhighregard。Desiringtoavoideverypossibilityoftroubleormisunderstanding，IwrotetohimlastJuneexplainingfullythecharacterofourmen，whichtheyhavesowelllivedupto，thedesirabilityofamplelandingplaces，guides，resthousesandplacesforchangingmoneyinorderthattheremightbenodelayingettingthemenawayfromthedocksontheexcursionsinwhichtheydelight。Veryfewofthemgointoadrinkingplace，excepttogetarestingplacenottobefoundelsewhere，payingforitbytakingadrink。
Ialsoexplainedoursystemoflandingwithlibertymenanunarmedpatrol，properlyofficered，toquietlytakeinchargeandsendofftotheirshipsanymenwhoshowedtheslightesttraceofdisorderlyconduct。ThisletterheshowedtotheMinisteroftheNavy，whohighlyapprovedofallourarrangements，includingthepatrol，ofwhichIfearedtheymightbejealous。Mr。Denison’sreplyreachedmeinManila，withamemorandumfromtheMinisteroftheNavywhichremovedalldoubts。Threetemporarypierswerebuiltforourboatlandings，each300feetlong，brilliantlylightedanddecorated。Thesleepingaccommodationsdidnotpermittwoorthreethousandsailorstoremainonshore，buttheamplelandingspermittedthemtobehandlednightanddaywithperfectorderandsafety。
AtthelandingsandrailroadstationinYokohamatherewereresthousesorbooths，reputablemoneychangersandasmanyasathousandEnglish-speakingJapanesecollegestudentsactedasvolunteerguides，besidesJapanesesailorsandpettyofficersdetailedforthepurpose。InTokyotherewereagreatmanyexcellentrefreshmentplaces，wherethemengotexcellentmealsandcouldrest，smoke，andwriteletters，andinnoneoftheseplaceswouldtheyallowthementopayanything，thoughtheyweremorethanreadytodoso。Thearrangementsweremarvelouslyperfect。
AssoonasyourtelegramofOctober18，givingtheaddresstobemadetotheEmperor，wasreceived，IgavecopiesofittoourAmbassadortobesenttotheForeignOffice。ItseemsthattheEmperorhadalreadypreparedaverycordialaddresstobeforwardedthroughmetoyou，afterdeliveryattheaudience，butyourtelegramreversedthesituationandhisreplywasprepared。I
amconvincedthatyourkindandcourteousinitiativeonthisoccasionhelpedcausethepleasantfeelingwhichwassoobviousintheEmperor’sbearingattheluncheonwhichfollowedtheaudience。
X。，whoisreticentandconservative，toldmethatnotonlytheEmperorbutalltheMinisterswereprofoundlygratifiedbythecourseofevents。Iamconfidentthatnoteventhemosttriflingincidenthastakenplacewhichcouldinanywaymarthegeneralsatisfaction，andourAmbassadorhasexpressedtomehisgreatsatisfactionwithallthathastakenplace。
OwingtoheavyweatherencounteredonthepassageupfromManilathefleetwasobligedtotakeabout3500tonsofcoal。
TheYanktonremainedbehindtokeepupcommunicationforafewdays，andyesterdayshetransmittedtheEmperor’stelegramtoyou，whichwassentinreplytoyourmessagethroughourAmbassadorafterthesailingofthefleet。Itmustbeprofoundlygratifyingtoyoutohavethemissiononwhichyousentthefleetterminatesohappily，andIamprofoundlythankfulthat，owingtotheconfidencewhichyoudisplayedingivingmethiscommand，myactivecareerdrawstoaclosewithsuchhonorabledistinction。
Asfortheeffectofthecruiseuponthetraining，disciplineandeffectivenessofthefleet，thegoodcannotbeexaggerated。Itisawargameineverydetail。Thewirelesscommunicationhasbeenmaintainedwithanefficiencyhithertounheardof。BetweenHonoluluandAuckland，3850miles，wewereoutofcommunicationwithacablestationforonlyonenight，whereasthree[non-
American]men-of-wartryingrecentlytomaintainachainofonly1250miles，betweenAucklandandSydney，wereonlyabletodosoforafewhours。
Theofficersandmenassoonasweputtoseaturntotheirgunneryandtacticalworkfarmoreeagerlythantheygotofunctions。Everymorningcertainshipsleavethecolumnandmoveoffsevenoreightthousandyardsastargetsforrangemeasuringfirecontrolandbatterypracticefortheothers，andatnightcertainshipsdothesamethingfornightbatterypractice。Iamsorrytosaythatthispracticeisunsatisfactory，andinsomepointsmisleading，owingtothefactthattheshipsarepaintedwhite。AtPortland，in1903，IsawAdmiralBarker’swhitebattleshipsunderthesearchlightsofthearmyatadistanceof14，000yards，sevenseamiles，withoutglasses，whiletheHartford，ablackship，wasneverdiscoveredatall，thoughshepassedwithinamileandahalf。Ihaveforyears，whileamemberoftheGeneralBoard，advocatedpaintingtheshipswarcoloratalltimes，andbythismailIamaskingtheDepartmenttomakethenecessarychangeintheRegulationsandpainttheshipsproperly。
Idonotknowthatanyonenowdissentsfrommyview。AdmiralWainwrightstronglyconcurs，andtheWarCollegeConferencerecommendedityearafteryearwithoutadissentingvoice。
Intheafternoonsthefleethastwoorthreehours’practiceatbattlemaneuvers，whichexciteaskeeninterestasgunneryexercises。
Thecompetitionincoaleconomygoesonautomaticallyandreactsinahundredways。Ithasreducedthewasteintheuseofelectriclightandwater，andcertainchiefengineersaresaidtokeepmenrangingovertheshipsallnightturningouteverylightnotinactualandimmediateuse。Perhapsthemostimportanteffectisthekeenhuntfordefectsinthemachinerycausingwasteofpower。TheYanktonbyresettingvalvesincreasedherspeedfrom10to111/2
knotsonthesameexpenditure。
Allthishasbeendone，butthefieldiswidening，theworkhasonlybegun。
