The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1908-07-19
ENGLAND'S NAVY SPLIT IN TWO
SIR JOHN FISHER THE ANTI
BERESFORD LEADER.

Personality Of the Man VINO % First SEES
Lord Has Been the Guiding Hand or the
British Sea Forces-Noted for His
Policy OF "scrappins' OLD vessels
LONDON. June 1.-THE "navy scandal
with which this country has been ringing
for the last week RACES around the per-
sonalities Of England's two greatest Ad-
mirals, Sir John Arbuthnot Fisher. First
I Sea Lord Of the Admiralty, and Lord Charles
beresford. who would be supreme COM
mander Of the British fleets In the event
Of war,
30 wild is the breach and bitter the hos
ulity between these two strong men thai
they have divided the officers Of the whole
British navy into two hostile camps. From
Admirals to cadets the officers have ranged
themselves under the banner Of Beresford
or Fisher in such q manner and with such
results that sober minded men do not hesi-
tate to declare that from this cause and this
cause alone the mighty feet Of 500 war
vessels 80 quickly and silently modified
last week contains within it the germ OF
irreparable disaster. VI
VI these two men. who have focused
upon themselves the critical attention OF a
nation. Lord Charles Beresford is Of course
by far the better known. Ever since the
signal Of well done. Condor!" was made
Beresford has been a popular hero. His
career. ashore and afoat, Is as well known
to his countrymen as are his features and
a hundred stories Of the winning, dashing
ways that have endeared him to them.
b u who Is Sir John Fisherp' the writer
Of an appreciation Of the First Sea Lord asks
yesterday, and in an interesting sketch
proceeds to tell the uuknowing man in the
street some of the salient characteristics
of the potent and original personality,
whose u%ntirias genius has revolutionized
naval administration"
He first refutes the charge that Fisher
isan advertising Admiral"
His name 10 in all mouths. A realistic
image OF him exists in very few minds. This
In its II is the best refutation Of the charge.
Sir John Fisher 10 above all the man of his
age. The daylight saving bill would no
help him to get up earlier than he does. He
10 a ruthless realist in all things, and what
he does not know Of human nature ia hardly
worth knowing. He knows very vel. that In
free countries publicity 10 a power which no
force can ever again suppress and that 1t
will be used for the wrong purposes IL it is
not used for the right. Sir John Fisher
has believed all his active life in awakening
national interest in the navy and in treat
Ing England upon matters affecting the feet
al though this country consisted Of forty
millions who are after all something other
than fools. He has ADVERTISED the navy. 1t 10
untrue that he has advertised himself. II
he had he would be the best known instead
Of the least known Of all tho creative and
prevailing personalities In the service of
the empire.
who is Sir John Fisher2 He is a shadow.
q rumor. q name. To this day the average
citizen is unable to put @ face upon that
name whenever this extraordinary person.
atty is mentioned. One thing about him 10
indeed obvious. The number Of his enc
mics is the tribute to his greatness. Let US
be certain Of II that people are never popu-
lar when they wrench persons and systems
by main energy out of the accustomed
grooves.
The heads Of the army are always
percentages. Yet the commander
in chief Of the navy is an infinitely more
important character han any leader In
the land service. and for the last four years
the real commander In chief Of the navy,
under the Secretary OF State, has been
Sir John Arbuthnot Fisher. In that period
he has stamped a deeperspersonal impress
sion upon the whole organization OF the
than had been left upon it since Trafal- |
gar by all previous First Sea Lords put |
together. Just as elections are won In
the committee rooms-not in the ballot
are settled before they
are fought. and they are decided by the |
forts which have created on one side
Or the other superior efficiency in time Of
peace. Won Room did not command in |
he field. but no created the armies with
which Moltke marched to victory. In the |
way Sir John Fisher, though II is |!
that he will now never have the
,hance to show what he might have done
n war at sea. has reconstructed from top |
bottom the whole mighty machine
which will fight our naval battles in the
'uture. Sooner or later our destiny will |
% decided by the results Of the reforming
action Of Whitehall during the last half
aNominally. the First Sea lord is 81.
Practically, II vital spirits are any index
o a mans real age, he is the youngest
Admiral in this or any other service. His
great opportunity did not come until he /,
over 90. Then came o day when there
vas offered to him the highest prize OF a
'dIlOT = u1OltlOh III tlIHe Oh p0dCe-Vn6 l
Of First Sea Lord. But ever that
onorh he would only take on terms. He
in his brain o full scheme Of re-
He believed the training
md the distribution Of the navy to be
,erilousIy out OF date. He had watched
he change from wooden walls to iron
packed with tremendous and ex-
luiaite machinery. Yet there had been t
10 fundamental change since N~elson's
ime in our method of training officers for
heir profession. There had been a revo-
ution in our political relations, and IL was
lear that the struggle of life and death In
he future would be fought in the North
,ea and no other where. Yet our fleets
vere still organized as though the Medi-
would be, as in the eighteenth
the chief scene Of crisis. Our
hips were stationed anywhere but where
,e would probably have to fight. Sir
ohm Fisher clearly stated his intentions,
hey were approved. He came into the
.dmiralty to carry them out. That IL
hat he has done. His activities have been
evolutionary though constructive. He has
cen denounced for the sheer daring and
Of the changes he has intro
uced. But he was commissioned from
,e outset to effect them. That Ia what ,
Q was there for, To the foreign mind as
a. been said. he has appeared like nothing
, much "a an incarnAted torpedo waiting
its war head to be fixed on IL.