Omaha daily bee., 1915-10-31


nerve.
"Jellicoel He has been tried in every
branch of the service.
"Jellicoe! His fellow-officers believe in
him"
1t was that sort of recommendation
that helped. When the great war came
he was given supreme command and the
rest left to him.
Born with Tireless Energy.
"From the time he was a midshipnran.
Jellicoe has been marked man in the
service" said one of his admirals "He
Is one of those men who seems to be
born with tireless energy No matter
what difficulties arise, he is always
smiling. Both he and Beatty were in
the first attempt TO relieve the Peking
legations at the time of the Boxer re-
bellion. Captain Jellicoe NHas then Ad-
miral Seymour's chief-of-staff. When he
was wounded and the little band of sea-
men were surrounded by Boxers and It
looked as II every minute might be their
last. he was smiling as cheerily as II he
had been on the quarter deck. Nothing
ever seems to ruffle his equanimlty. His
personal charm would win him his way
anywhere; but when you have served
with him, then you realize what a master
Of his profession ne is
Only the commander-in-chiefs flag
which II flies distinguishes the flagship.
which is In the center of the fleet. from
the rest of the gray fighters in their
precise lines at anchor in harbor. Sir
John takes his exercise and his holidays
pacing the quarter deck. He never leaves
the fleet even for a few hours. The
commander-in-chief is the one man who
must take no risk of being absent II the
German fleet should come out.
Personal Presence Felt.
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
admirals Everyone in the fleet is fami-
liar with the quick light step Of that
slight figure with a telescope always
under his arm. II a ship should come
to anchor with bow out of line, he
knows it. Ali his fighting ships are
under his eye and every human being
on the fleet feels his personal presence.
Descend a ladder under the shadow
of two great 13.5-inch guns and the visitor
is in a large cabin extending from side
would be called the dining room. Here
when he was in port in time of peace the
commander-in-chief would give his of
ficlal dinners. In 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 house the sitting room. The
furnishings are of the simplest. Every.
thing inflammable could be removed
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.
Little Red Tape.
The visitor looked about in vain fol
signs of the immense amount of officla
detail which would seem necessary FOL
the focal point of vast campaign. Somt
staff officers and few records were all
The flagship is kept cleared for action IL
this as in all other respects. The actua
directing of the 5000 ships and auxiliarieI
of the British navy is carried on in 6
space occupied in q New York office b!
a lawyer and two or three clerks. Al
orderly went and came with messages
from the wireless room which, aside from
the installations, had space enough TO
the wireless operators to stand and M
more.
Officers asserted that 1t was difficul
TO contemplate how such naval cam
paign as the British in this war coul'
have ever been conducted without tn
wireless. Sir John could talk with tn
admiralty in London or with any ship
whether off Heligoland or Iceland. IL
knew what each man was doing. Let
German cruiser show her nose in tn
North sea and he had the news in
minute or two after she was sighted
He makes it all seem simple an
easy" said one OF his admirals. "Tha
is his gift-it is the essential gift for on
who has such a great responsibility.
Some of the Others.
Beatty, who sank the Blucher. is tn
youngest of Sir Johns young admiral,
45 years Of age. boyish Snd quick stur
dee. victor of the Falkland islands bat
tie. smooth shaven. as smiling as 81
John. is quick spoken and rather studiou
in appearance; he is an expert in navs
strategy.
In the British navy promotion Is b
Selecuon up 10 the grade OF captain
A man with a single flaw In his recor,
as lieutenant must wait on others bC
before he can become Lieutenant com
mander. Those with perfect records q
each grade are canvassed by boards an
those who have shown industry and In
itiative are chosen to g. over the head
OF less active men. The aim Is to al
ply the system of civil life, where abb
ity rises and mediocrity must be confer
with the lower rungs of the ladder
Jellicoe. Sturdee and Beatty entere
the navy as boys OF fourteen. None ha
any particular influence: they made the
way by industry. Sir John has served (
every branch. He is regarded as POI
silly the ab'est ordnance expert in tn
navy, which means that he knows II
guns which he will fire in action.
Officers Hard Workers.
Notwithstanding his amiability, q
agree that he has only one criterion
success. II ar officer fails he is 81
perseded. Most of these young admiTE,
sleep on the bridge even in harbov n
the last ten years the average Brilh
naval officer has worked harder ths
men Of any profession In civil lie. Th'
have kept up the grinding drin. whi'