Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-18
BY NJ. P. SHIEL

vessels will find their work cut out accord
ing 10 the dispositions of the enemy's less
massive totlla. l can only hope that these
recommendations meet with your appro val,
as know they do with that OF my colleague
Vice Admiral Won Grudenau. Adieu, then,
meSsieursl This interruption to our prog
Tess viii, in quarter Of an hour, be over
come. Niye la France! Nivent-Viyent-les
Allies"
"Nive Ia France-vivent les Allies" re
peated the allied commanders round the
table. as they raised to their lips wine
poured from the caTafes, then, saluting
they hurried to their gigs.
And none too soon. They had hardly
reached their ships, and turned them TO the
performance Of the prescribed evolutiOns
when the fleet of England was upon them
The contre amiral had made small error
In guessing the formation of the British
battleships. He had assumed that, their
number being small they approached the
allied fleet in two divergent single lines of
ships; but the British rear admiral, hoping
for some unknown hypothetical advantage
had, as we have seen, decided to advance
in two divergent echelons, or step-shape
formations. The error was Of little import
ance. for the allies would quickly detect
the formation, and modify their movements
accordingly.
Unfortunately for them the eyes of John
Hardy, with their faculty Of sight and in
sight were abroad over the sea that night
He had burst into sobs IN the captain 8
quarters of the Jupiter. The captain stood
over him, patting his shoulder, wondering
at the intensity of the lads pride and pat
IiJtism.
But it was neither pride nor patriotism
which was then rending the frau frame OF
Hardy with sobs-it was something far
more. To hear irresistibly the Heavenly
Call to be up and save the world and then,
at once, TO be overwhelmed with the bitter
sense Of the strong commonplace. and with
the feeling OF sheer impotence in the face
of it-this is the tragedy of genius.
John sobbed There had risen In him a
sublime strength, an immoderate arrogance,
and with II the tlngllng consciousness that,
were he that night the admiral o. the fleet,
he would and could somehow save England
from the shame of an invading foot; then,
all at once, he remembered that lie was by
no means the admiral of the ueet So he
sobbed.
But his sobs We're in the nick Of time,
Tor he had the trick OF luck. They softened
and touched the captain, just at the right
instant
well John. I must be going, he said.
John lifted up his hot face.
Where shall ! take my place, sir?'' lie
Your place? I should stay here If were
MAY I. sir. If 1t Is not asking too
much
"What?'
Come with you sir"
Where tor
THE coming tower. sir"
| My good fellow
IF IT is not asking too much, sir one
must see the fight from somewhere, as one
| happens 10 be here
| ''Well-but-the coming tower
It shall make myself small, sir. You
won't talk to me, nor I. of course to you. y
| guest chooses his lodging in case of doubt
you know, sir"
He was smiling now, and when he smile ]
| his face was wonderfully winning.
The captain hesitated, and was lost lie
said
well, YOU are an original. John, that's al
1 / can say-like your poor father before you
| boy. Come along, then-come along!
They ran briskly 10.
| Suddenly the stu night was a-sound Th'
| two fleets were about to mingle.
/ At that moment so great was the dis
| parity of weight. that the widest hope o.
| patriotism could have predicted nothing
| but swift destruction 20 the British moi
| was the objective of the British captains
victory, but only the dlsablement, as fal
| as might be- of the enemy.
! To explain the appalling ruin and havo'
which one pair OF seeing sallor-eyes hroBgh