The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1908-07-19

- NJ Wv "a NA thS
in the North Sea. Quietly he massed o9i
strength In the narrow seas until, in Al
mfral Mahan's words. NEighty-six per cent
Of the British battleship strength 10 con.
centrated In or near home waters Ihas
Fishers oountrymen. They know that
battleships are gun platforms, and not oniy
are the vessels nov whore we ought to
have them but the gunnery efficiency OF
our feet has risen almost by leaps u
bounds and never has been 30 formioapie
as to-day.
AS for personal characteristics, 1t woniu
tax Mr.. Sargent to paint him. His profile.
like that Of most born fighters, juts clean
out from forehead to chin, like the DOW
OF a battleship. There is q certain lorSe
hammer and tongs' Captain in Marryat.s
ballad, The eyes are direct and anve,
under brows showing extraordinary powers
OF concentration. Above them the fore-
head Ii a wonderful network OF fine lines
and the mouth 10 full Of humor and ruthless
and IL you passed him In the street Titaout
knowing him you would be compelled 20
look at him twice. His talk IL full OF q
unexpected. yet revealing. phrases whioh
light up a subject with flashes OF con-
'versational lightning. He 10 az irreslsuDis
what, was his f~avorite text he replied IN,
stantly: And there shall be no more sea-
His motto throughout his career has been
that the frontiers Of E~nglsndare the COASTS
OF the enemy When the Viennese courtiers
we're abusing, ismarok to the EnperG ia
Francis Jossph that monarch listened i1
silence and then said: ! only, wish l nag
him. In reply to Sir John Fishers aseaii-
ants the Kaiser might say the same
When. Fisher. was appointed Firse sea
Lord in 1904 d Unionist government was 10
power with Lord selborne as First Lord OF
fha AAmiraIfu Within fu0 rnnntha E1gl9r9
influence was evidenced by Lord Selborne's
issue OF a memorandum and circular letter
dealing in drastic fashion with the distripu-
ton and mobilization OF the feet. Exlsung
arrangements were cancelled and the erect
i've war feet divided into two. one IN COM
mission at sea and the other in commission
In reserve. Only a month later Fisher
made his next departure. which was OF Q
kind more calculated to attract, genera
attention. He then showed that his prac-
tlcaf az apart from his strategic poney
not absolutely up to date. In the hrst three
months of 1906 no fewer than 40 OF such
vessels were removed from the ports to moor
Ing stations round the coast as obsoiete.
The policy officially adopted by LORD sci
borne has besn continued since under the
Liberal government by Lord Tweedmouth
and Mr. MoKenua. :,
Lord Charles Beresford 10. as has been said.
well known In more counties than nus own.
a Gushing EIDE Irish sailor. ne ID tue
perfect type Of a popular hero. As a mere
boy he gained the Royal Humane Society's
medal. with clasps, for saving three lives
from drowning. 1t was at the lombard
ment OF Alexandria that he ran his unpro.
tected gunboat Condor under the gums OF
Fort Marabout and fought unsupported
for ninety minutes, being cheered by the
whole feet and receiving the famous, signal.
We'll done, Condor from the flagship at the
end Of the attack. He performed prodigies
OF valor In the Gordon relief expedition,
notably at Abu Klea. and In command OF the
Little Nile steamer Saf1eh. Then az Junior
Sea Lord Of the Admiralty he pressed for
the organi cation Of the navy for wal and
urged the creation Of a general stan and an
intelligence department. Unable to get his
way he resigned in 1880. A member OF the
House OF Commons now, Lord Charles in
sisted on an outlay Of go, 600. 900 for new
ships. "Battieships are cheaper than bat
Ties was his test. He failed again. but in
the next year the naval defence act with
its special grant Of 100000 600 indicated him.
II. W. Wilson. the well known writer OF
matters, says In the Daily Mdii:.
The naval defencs act was tho beginning
OF thu modern Britishs navy, WtthoiffB
Is morally certain that In 1890 England would
have been attacked by q Continental eoali-
ton and that there would have been inter-
Ventton In the Boer War"