The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-10-15

London, Oct 15-Of all the great 1 leaders of the war Sir John Je1Iicoe, commanding the British Grand Fleet, 1 is least known to the world, and his | is the portrait which receives the most cheers when it is thrown onto screen at a London theatre. But the British public knows nothing of him except that he is the fighting com 1 mander of the 'ihvisibIe'' power of the British navy.
 When war was threatening it is re- | lated that a meeting of Admiralty Lords and others who would have the l say was held to decide who, in case of hostilities, should command the British fleet. The opinions ran some l>4hing like this, it is said.
 "Je1licoe! He has the brains.''
 ''Jelicoe! He is young. He has 1 the health to endure the strain. He has the nerve"
 | "Jellicoe! He has been tried in every branch of the service.'' "Jellicoe! His fellow officers be- 1 Heve in him.
 It was that sort of recommenda- ton that helped. When the great war came he was given supreme command and the rest left to him.
 From the time he was a rnfdsfip- man, JeIlicoe has been a marked 1 man in the service,'' said one of his admirals. 'sHe is one of those men
 
 energy. No matter what difficulties arise, he is always smiling. Both he and Beatty were in the first attempt to relieve the Picking legations at the time of the Boxer Rebellion. Captain JeI1icoe was then Admiral Seymour's chief of staff. When he was wound ed and the little band of seamen were surrounded by Boxers and it looked as if every minute might be their last. he was smiling as che@riIy as if he had been \on the quarter-decf. Nothing ever seems to ruff1e his equanimity His personal charm would win him his way anywhere; but when you have served with him, then you realize what master of his pro- fession he is.''
 Only the commander-in-chfef' flag which she flies distinguishes the flag ship, which is in the center of the fleet, from the rest of the gray fight- CTS in their precise lines at anchor in harbor. Sir John takes his exer- else and his holidays pacing the quar- ter-deck. He never leaves the fleet even for a few hours. The conman- der-in-chief Is the one man who must take risk of being absent if the German fleet should come out
 Not tall, spare, his face tanned by the breezes, he walks up and down the deck, sometimes with one of his aides or with his chief of staff, again with one of his ad1nirals. Everyone in the fleet Is familiar with the quick, light step of that slight figure with a telescope always under his arm. If a ship should come to anchor with a bow out of line, he knows it. All his fighting ships are under his eye and every human being lon the fleet feels his personal presence.
 Descend a ladder under the shadow of two great 1855 inch guns and the visitor is in a large cabin extending from side tosside of the ship, which in a. house would be called the din ing room. Here when he was in port in time of peace the commander-in- chief would gve his official dinners, Tn time of war the cabin is partly screened off,. as there is more room than Sir John and his staff need for meals. Aft of this is what would be called in a house the sitting room. The furnishings are of the simplest. Everything ipf1ammab1e could be re- moved promptly in case of action. The few names in the visitors book on a table were suggestive of the fleets isolation from intercourse with the rest of the world. One name was the Kings and another the Prince of Wales, and a few high officials.
 The visitor looked about in vain for signs cf the immense amount of official detail which would seem nec- essary for the focal point of a vast campaign. Some staff officers and few records were all. The flagship is kept cleared for action in this as in all other respects. The actual direct ing of the, three thousands ships and auxiliaries of the British navy is car ried on in a space occupied in a New York office by a lawyer and two or three clerks. An orderly went and came with messages from the wireless room which, aside from the .installaL- tions, had space enough far -fhe wire less operators fo stand and no more.
 Officers said that it was difficult to contemplate how such naval campaign as the British in this war could have ever been conducted with out the wireless. Sir John could talk with the Admiralty in London or with any ship, whether off HeIigo- land or Iceland. He knew what each man was doing. Let a German cruis- CT show her nose in the North Sea and he had the news in a minute or two after she was sighted.
 stHe makes it all seem simple and easy" said one of his admirals. That is his gift-it is the essential gift for one who has such a great responslbil- ity.''
 Beatty, who sank the Butcher, is the youngest. of Sir Johns young ad-t 111iraIs, fortY-four years of age, boy ish and quick. Sturdee, victor of the Falkland Islands battle, smooth shaven, as smiling as Sir John, is quiet-psoken and rather studious in appearance; he is an expert in naval strategy.
 Tn the British navy promotion is by selection up to the grade of captain. A man with single flaw in his rec ord as lieutenant must wait on others before he can become lieutenant commander Those with perfect rec ords in each grade. are canvassed by 1 boards and those who have shown in dustry and initiative are chosen to go over the heads of less active men The aim is to apply the system of civil life, where ability rises and me | diocrity must be content with the | lower rungs of the ladder.
 JeIlicoe, Sturdee, and Beatty enter | ed the navy as boys of fourteen. None 1 had any particular influence; they |