But there still remained a lingering remnant of public opinion that clung to the coast defense theory, and we met this in beautiful fashion by providing for "sea-going coast defense battle-ships"-- the fact that the name was a contradiction in terms being of very small consequence compared to the fact that we did thereby get real battle-ships.
Our men had to be trained to handle the ships singly and in fleet formation, and they had to be trained to use the new weapons of precision with which the ships were armed.

Not a few of the older officers, kept in the service under our foolish rule of pure seniority promotion, were not competent for the task; but a proportion of the older officers were excellent, and this was true of almost all the younger officers.

They were naturally first-class men, trained in the admirable naval school at Annapolis.

They were overjoyed that at last they were given proper instruments to work with, and they speedily grew to handle these ships individually in the best fashion.

They were fast learning to handle them in squadron and fleet formation; but when the war with Spain broke out, they had as yet hardly grasped the principles of modern scientific naval gunnery.
Soon after I began work as Assistant Secretary of the Navy I became convinced that the war would come.