New-York tribune., 1909-06-06

colleagues from dismissal This was succeeoeu
by a picturesque episode. Pepys himself qlietiy
instigating the Duke Of York to make charges
against the ineffective Navy Board in the hope
of making needed reforms
Bv 1913 all the first set of officers OF the
board at the period of the Restoration had dls-
appeared, Pepys being the only survivor The
King reorganized the Office and appointed Pepys
Secretary of the Admiralty His record In TINS
position is a splendid one. He worked with
trrIv astonishing earnestness, persistence and
vigiIance-and worked still under that stratnins
misery of lack of money for ships and seamen-
He fought desperately TO restore falling dlsci-
pIine in both officers and men. He knew all the
needs and all the mistakes of the navy; ne had'
SAYS the biOgTapher. "a personal passion aSd
feeling for his official work that is rare and as
valuable as il is rare" He pushed many re-
FORMS among them that providing for the IN
struction and examination Of Heutenants. an
erninentIy desirable thing in that particular
navy at that particular time. He made enemies
of course, and there came day when ne was
committed to the Tower under an absurd accu-
satfon of ''betrayfng naval secrets to the French
King, and also Of design to dethrOne Charles
II and destroy the Protestant religion" He was
prisoner for many months before the ridicu-
Ious nature of these charges was conceded and
he was released. During the five years which
followed the navy affairs were cOnfded to men
who were not only ignorant and incompetent
but in many cases dishonest The cost Of the
navy to the country remained enormous, though
the number of effective ships in sea-pay was
dangerously lowered. Where did the money go2
The Admiralty kept no account The outrageous
"unconcernment" of the King at last ended. and
he called Pepys back to his post as Secretary of
the Admiralty. '"The spectacle of Pepys at this
time says the author. sis worthy Of little
admiration. He had seen large part of
his good and arduOus work undOne, from some
thing that must have appeared to him ike
wicked capriciOusness, and then he was sud
denly called upon to pick up the pieces and
make them into sound whole again And he
did it-though it cost millions of money and all
the best remaining years Of his life to make
good the damage and restore the navy Of Eng
land from a few rotting hulks 70 a feet in
being" He went about his task with no de-
pendence on the reports Of subordinates; he
studied conditions on the spot; and, gradually
with the backing OF CharIes's successor, the
service was brought to high point Of efficiency
/ Such was the serious value to England of Mas
ter Samuel Pepys, the writer of the most anus
ing diary in the world. When at the coming of
William of Orange his post was given to another
man and he retired into studiOus Obscurity it
was justly said Of him by a contemporary:
1t may be affirmed Of this Gentleman. that he
was without exception. the greatest and most use
Iui Minister that filed the same situation in
England. the Acts and Registers o. the Admiralty
proving; this fact beyond Contradiction The prn-
clpal rules and establishments in present use in
those Offices are well known 20 have been OF his
Introducing and most OF the officers serving therein
since the Restoration. Of his bringing I'D He was
a most studIous promoter and strenuous asSerter OF
order and discipline through all their
SobTiety diligence, capacity loyalty. and sbjectfsn
to command We're essentials required in al. whom
he advanced When any OF these were found want
ing no interest or authority We're capable Of nov
ing him IN favor of the highest pretender. the
royal command only excepted. Of which he
also very watCflfu. 10 prevent any undue procure
Inents- DisChIrsing his duty to his prince anu
country with religious application and perfect
integrity. ne feared one courted no one. neg