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：