The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-06-07

nothing to do, and asked his host,
What on earth do you want him
for?"
well, sir" said the boatswain, "he
has to cali me every morning at 5
O'Clock and say, Admiral wants to see
you, sir 1 roll over on the other side
of the bed and reply, Tell the Ad-
niral to go to the DEVIL; Then I
go to sleep again, feeling good. This
happens half a dozen times day, and
l feel better every time. I've been
waiting for it for twenty years.
One of the AdmiraI's Best Stories.
Fisher has a fine fund of sea stories
and tells them capitally. When he
commanded the British North Ameri-
can and West Indian Squadron he
had gun captain on the "Renown'
who was a Dutchman by descent. A
favorite oath in the British Navy,
when anything goes wrong, is Lord,
stiffen the Dutch!' 1t dates back to the
days when Van Tromp hOisted broom
to the masthead of his flagship as a
sign that he meant to drive the Eng
liSh from the seas.
One day the Dutchman was exer-
cising his gun crew at drill. Fisher
passed by and noticed a mistake.
Lord, stiffen the Dutch" he ex-
claimed. Cant you see your sights
are incorrect?"
The Dutchman called the crew to at
tention, saluted the Admiral and re-
marked in solemn, prayerful tone:
Lord, stiffen the English! Carry on
there. men!"
Fisher, usually the sternest of dis
ciplinarians, laughed and walked on.
He is never happier than when he has
new story to tell against himself.
Stern towards men, he is pleasant to
a iY,fA
he can help it, without giving a ball
. on his flagship. He was a great favo-
rite with Queen Victoria, and was
deeply attached to her.
When the French Admiral Gervais
visited Portsmouth some years ago
with his fleet. Fisher was told off by
the admiralty to do the honors to him.
The Queen called him to Osborne and
said:
"sir John, we have sent for you es-
pecially to ask you to be very nice to
Admiral Gervais. as he was so kind
to us when we were recently at CT
miez.''
Madam" replied 'Jacky' calamity,
Il will even kiss him if your Majesty
wishes it."
Man Who Holds His Tongue.
Sir John Fisher is honored by his
political superiors and the permanent
heads of the Admiralty because he is
the one man in the British Navy who
always holds his tongue. In a career
of over forty years he has never
spoken or written a word for publ
cation; he has never been guilty of
the slightest indiscretion. In these
days of garrulous generals and argu-
mentative admirals that is a record
worth having. This strong, silent man
has horror of notoriety. This trait
in his character made it impossible for
him to get along amicably with Lord
Charles Beresford when the latter was
his second in the Mediterranean a
couple of years ago. Lord Charles
is fine sailor. but Fisher regarded
him as leaky vessel incurably fond
of talking when he ought to hold his
tongue.
AS one of his fellow officers has re-
marked, England's unknown Nelson
has risen by dint of sheer brain
power, continuity of purpose, clear
slghtedness and conspicuous ability
10 the position he now holds" The
son of an obscure man, he has attain
ed the highest rank in the service.
where aristocratic influence counts
for much
The Navy at His Fingers Ends.
After he retired from the command
of England's most important feet. the
Mediterranean, he became Senior Ma
val Lord of the Admiralty. As such.
he is commander-in-chiefo of the British
navy, issuing the commands to the ad-
mirals of all the fleets. If war broke
out, he would probably take command
OF the Channel Squadron, IL time per-
mitted. In any case. the responsibility
for planning and directing the cam
paign would rest with him. He is in
cessantly preparing for It, whether the
political horizon looks dark or clear.
The Won Moltke OF the British navy.
his ships will be found as ready for
war when the storm breaks as the Ger
man generals soldiers were ia 1870.
Fishers influence peryades every part
81 the navy, down 10 the loneliest lit
ne Bunboat on a remote tropical sta
ton. The force 81 his viii Is the life
blood which circulates through every
vein and artery Of the great organism
De commands lie sits in his once in
London and knows, without needing 10
refer 90 documents o. cAblegrams. eN-
acuy where every ship o. lis navy h
a.. A.