I am very glad to have taken this trip, although as usual I am bored by
the sea. Everything has been smooth as possible, and it has been lovely
having Mother along. It gives me great pride in America to be aboard
this great battleship and to see not only the material perfection of the
ship herself in engines, guns and all arrangements, but the fine quality
of the officers and crew. Have you ever read Smollett's novel, I think
"Roderick Random" or "Humphrey Clinker," in which the hero goes to sea?
It gives me an awful idea of what a floating hell of filth, disease,
tyranny, and cruelty a war-ship was in those days. Now every arrangement
is as clean and healthful as possible. The men can bathe and do bathe as
often as cleanliness requires. Their fare is excellent and they are as
self-respecting a set as can be imagined. I am no great believer in the
superiority of times past; and I have no question that the officers and
men of our Navy now are in point of fighting capacity better than in the
times of Drake and Nelson; and morally and in physical surroundings the
advantage is infinitely in our favor.
It was delightful to have you two or three days at Washington. Blessed
old fellow, you had a pretty hard time in college this fall; but it
can't be helped, Ted; as one grows older the bitter and the sweet keep
coming together. The only thing to do is to grin and bear it, to flinch
as little as possible under the punishment, and to keep pegging steadily
away until the luck turns.