(5 of 7)
The Adams family has sailed far and famously in U. S. history. Mr. Adams's father was John Quincy, four times defeated Democratic candidate for Massachusetts Governor. Mr. Adams's uncles were Charles Francis Jr., colonel of a Negro cavalry regiment in the Civil War and onetime president of the Union Pacific R. R., and Henry, autobiographer of The Education of Henry Adams. Mr. Adams's grandfather was Charles Francis, U. S. envoy to England during the Civil War. His great-grandfather was John Quincy, sixth U. S. President and, earlier, minister to The Hague and to Berlin ("Most valuable public character we have abroad," said George Washington). His great-great-grandfather was John, second U. S. President, first occupant of the White House, husband of delightful Abigail Smith. Mr. Adams's daughter, Catherine, married Henry S., son of J. Pierpont Morgan.
In Boston, the new Secretary is called "The Deacon." His collar used to be of the high-stand-up kind; his cuffs are still stiffly white and detachable; his manner to strangers is austere.
The sea and ships are forever about Mr. Adams. At 62 he is greatest of U. S. amateur skippers. His eyes have wrinkles of sun and humor in their corners. His bald head and his face, with its Adams nose, beaked like a New England cliff, are tanned by salty weather. His hands are hard and veined; he wears no rings. His eyes are clear-water blue behind old-fashioned spectacles.
Appropriately born at Quincy, at ten he was scudding over Quincy Bay in a sail boat, out to Hangman's Island, where his father doted on the smelt-fishing. At twelve he was racing his own little boats and, soon after, sailing with Capt. Crocker on the sloop Shadow. Then came his string of "oo" boats—Papoose (1887), Babboon (35-footer), Gossoon (40-footer) in which he beat Capt. Charles Barr in the Scotch cutter Minerva; Harpoon (1892) in which he won the Goelet Cup at Newport; and the Rooster and Crooner. He is a stern skipper; his own son calls him "Mister Adams" on shipboard.
President of his class, Mr. Adams was graduated from Harvard in 1888, spent the customary year traveling over Europe, returned for a course at the Harvard Law School. He became in 1898 Treasurer of Harvard when it had only $12,000,000. His wise management has raised this to $100,000,000. Twice he was elected mayor of Quincy on a Democratic ticket. And all the while his corporate interests spread out and out until, last week, his resignations as a director or trustee went to 55 concerns including the A. T. & T., American Sugar Refining, Boston and Albany R. R., Amoskeag, Waltham Watch.
His friends regard him as Moist, if not Wet. To jack up the saggine morale of the Navy will be a man-sized job for him, which he will doubtless undertake with his usual quiet determination. He may be a yes-man to the White House occupant but to the admirals who flock around every Navy chief with selfish advice and suggestions he will most likely listen patiently and then, a seadog himself, bark NO.