The San Francisco call., 1907-03-11
Beresford Says Battleships
Are Better Than Battles
Admiral in the City
After a Visit
to Texas

Lord Charles Beresford, who, as Ad-
miraI of the British Channel fleet holds
the highest rank of any naval officer
afioat, was in this city yesterday aft
ernoon on his return from Texas, where
he went to attempt settlement with
Flora Wolff, a negress, better known as
Lady Flo" who had claimed to be the
contract wife of his brother, Lord Del
avail Beresford.
The admiral still believes in battle
ships in spite of the international
project of disarmament which England
is reported to be about to advance at
The Hague.
THE people have become the arbiters
of peace" he said, when seen at the
St Francis yesterday. They realize
the horrors of war and that battleships
are cheaper than battles. War is no
longer determined by parliaments and
potentates, and the people look upon
the cost of battleships as an insurance
rate. That is what l have always said,
and / believe it still. l have told your
people that" he continued with smile.
Despite his 60 years and white hair
the admiral has rprightly carriage
and youthful appearance
When 1 get back" he said, 81 am
to take command OF the Channel feet
ship She is one of the newer battle
ships of the British navy. but not as
powerful as the Dreadnought. Every
one is talking about the Dreadnought
now. She is certainly the strongest
ship af1oat.
derful energy" he exclaimed, as he
alluded to his ride through the streets
in the burned district and the idea he
had obtained OF the rebuilding opera
tions which are under way.
The trip of the admiral to FL Paso
where Lady Flo" is living on the
Ojitos ranch, was not altogether sue
cessful. The negress, who had lived
with DelavaI Beresford for twenty
years, has abandoned her claim for a
wife's part in the estate, which is said
to be valued at $10.000,000, but her
legal contention now is that she en-
joyed partnership interests with Del
avail in the entire property, of which
she was given in the will but 100000
Attorney Hammond, who accompanied
the admiral on his trip, said yesterday
that they left without effecting set
tlement-
Flora Wolff is a mulatto, and in her
youth she is said to have been beauti-
full. When she first met Lord Delaval
she was servant in the family of the
American Consul in chihuahua. Their
meetings at first were clandestine. Aft
erward she was known in Chihuahua
as Lady Beresford'' Recently the
couple had gone to the ranch near FL
Paso, and it was on a trip TO the North,
where he had land interests, that Della
val Beresford was killed in a railroad
wreck near Enderlin, N. ID.
The will is to be probated in England
and it is said that, rather than dis
grace the family by a court contest
with the mulatto woman. the admiral
is willing to give her a considerable
sum of money in settlement of her
claims
Lord Charles, whose full name is
Charles William de Ia Poer Beresford,
is the son of the Marquis of Waterford,
an Irish peer. He is the most popular
man in the British service, and in
spite of the fact that he once pulled
down the American flag over the con-
sulate at Honolulu, when he was a
midshipman, he was favorably spoken
of as successor to the Sir Mortimer
Durand as British ambassador at
Washington.
'T am going from here to Medicine
Hat in Canada, where my brother had
a ranch" he said, land then directly
to England to assume command of the
Channel fleet
He registered at the hotel as 'L.
Williams and servant" and sought to
avoid any notice of his presence in the
city
At Burlingame his srain was delayed
sengers came to the city by electric
cars.
'T thought I had best stick by the
ship" said Beresford. IT had some i'm
portant papers, and we finally arrived
by the train"