New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-10-30
BATTENBERC QUITS
AS FIRST SEA LORD
Prince Louis Resigns Post
in British Admiralty
After Attacks.

III DTlllSIl hullllI dlty
After Attacks.
London, Oct. 30. Prince Louis Of
Battenberg, First Sea Lord of the
British Admiralty, resigned his post
yesterday.
The princes resignation is said to
be due to the campaign waged against
him in some of the newspapers because
of his German connection.
The court circular announces that
Prince Louis of Battenberg was re-
ceived by King George last night upon
reliuquishing his appointment.
The Admiralty has issued the fol-
lowing spondence between Ad-
miral Prince Louis and Winston Spen-
Ger Churchill, First Lord of the Ad-
miralty. Prince Louis in a letter TO
Mr.. Churchill dated October % said:
Dear Mr.. Churchill: | have lately
been driven 70 the painful conclusion
that at this juncture my birth and
parentage have the effect of mpairing
in some respects my usefulness on the
Board of the Admiralty. In these cir
ctmstances feel it to be my duty as
a loyal subject of his majesty to re-
sign my Office of First Sea Lord, hop
ing thereby TO facilitate the task Of
the administration of the great service
to which have devoted my fife and TO
ease the burden laid on his majesty's
ministers.
81 am ours very truly.
LOUIS OF BATTENBERG,
Admiral"
Mr. ChIrchill under date of October
30, replied to Prince Louis as follows:
my Dear Prince Louis:
This is no ordinary war. but Il
struggle between nations for life or
death. II raises passions between the
races of a most terrible kind. 1t e.-
faces the old landmarks and frontiers
of our civilization.
81 cannot further oppose the wish
you have during the last few weeks
expressed to me 10 be released from
the burden Of responsibility which you
have borne thus far with so much
honor and success.
THE anxieties and tolls which rest
upon the naval administration of our
country are, in themselves, enough to
try mans spirit, and when TO them
are added the ineradicabe difficulties
OF which you speak, | could not a.
this juncture, in fairness ask you TO
support them.
Owes New Navy to Him.
The navy of to-day, and still more
the navy OF tomorrow, bears the i'm
print Of your work. The enormous i'm
pending infuX Of capital ships. the
score of 30-knot cruisers, the destroy
ers and submarines, unequalled in mod
ern construction, which are coming
now TO hand. are the results of labors
which we have had in common and in
which the Board of Admiralty owes so
much to your aid.
THE fiIst step which secured the
timely concentration of the feet was
taken by you. must express public
ly my deep Indebtedness to you and
the pain ] feel at the severance of our
three years of official association.
I'm all circumstances you are right
in your decision. The spirit in which
you have acted is the same in which
Prince Maurice of Battenberg has
given his life TO our cause, and in
which your gallant son is now serv-
ing IN the fleet.
respect and that of our colleagues on
the board
81 remain, yours very sincerely,
WINSTON 5. CHURCHILL"
The King has appointed Prince Louis
of Battenberg a member of the Priyy
Council.
"The Times says:
We regret il because his action is
unquestonably the result of cam
paIgn of suggestion, part of it honest,
If i'll timed. part of it monstrously un-
just, against his remaining as head of
the navy in the present circumstances.
Inis campaig ign has taken two mai;: di-
rectlOns.
"He has been openly accused OF
weakness in allowing the sailors point
of view TO be swept into the back
ground by the masterful personality of
Mr. Churchill. He has also been at.
tackled by hardly less open gossip and
innuendo for his German birth.
"Of the second charge it is difficult
TO write with patience in the case of a
man who has spent a lifelong and most
distinguished career in the service Of
his adoDted country. whose brothers
and son have both died in her wars,
whose own two sons and two other
nephews are in her fighting forces at
this moment. The fact that Prince
Louis's resignation follows on the NOR
row Of the news of Prince Maurice s
death should be sufficient to kill once
and for all the suggestions involved in
that malignant scandal.
Gossip Of this kind is, we suppose,
ava.. Al Il
cratic government. Il exhibits, none
the less, its most contemplate side,
Continued on page ., column