Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-05-12
FISHER, CREATOR OF
THE BRITISH NAVY
May Succeed Churchill in the Ad-
miralty-The Man Who Initiated
the Dreadnought Era Learned
Much From Mahan.
BY ELLIS RANDALL

Of the Admiralty, is an embarrassment to
the Asuulth ministry. Churchill had been
subjected to severe criticism by the English
during a considerable period before his pub
lie statement after the sinking of the Lusi-
tanIa. regarding the impossibility of pro
vIdinp escorts for mail and passenger ships"
large part of the public feels more than
ever dissatisfied with his administration OF
naval affairs Whatever may be the justice
Of the matter he does not appear to be
pillar of political strength to the Govern
ment The report originated several weeks
ago that he would be appointed Viceroy Oh
India TO succeed Lord Hardnge and II In
the next few weeks 1t is shown TO nave
been founded on knowledge of official plans
nobody will be much surprised Both 10
Churchill and to Asquith the appointment
very likely, would be advantageous Inc
emouments of Viceroy of lndla are Vi
princely character, and there is no office OF
equal magnihcence, splendor ana prestlBe III
the gift Of the British Crown.
There is strong sentiment in England IN
favor Of entrusting naval administration
during the war entirely to Lord Fisher, OF
Kilverstone, the present admiral of the heet.
lust n few months ago the nation called
the white-hared admiral from his retire-
ment to bear perhaps tho most important
mart in guarding the destlnies of the empire
Since the beginning of the war the operations
of the fleet have been initiated and planned
by Jackie Fisher, the man who created
the English navy of today. The oehel Vi
many EnElishmen that Fisher should pe
given complete control of naval aftalrs Is
founded partly no doubt on faith in the
work which Field Marshal Lord Kitchener
professional soldier, is doing in the war De-
partment. but more largely on the record
and achievement of Fisher himself.
In a recent article on Won Tirptz the
writer had occasion to speak OF the part
an American book, Mahan's "The influence
of Sea Power in History" played in the
creation of the German navy. When flsher'
back in the ninctcs, was rousng England
TO face the fact that her navy was anti
nuated, he said on one occasion that his
favorite quotation was Mahan's picturesque
description of the thwarting of Napoleon:
NELSON'S far distant, storm-beaten ships
upon which the grand army never looked,
stood between II and the dominion OF the
world" He said of the navy: Nothing else
is of any use without it, not even the army
We are different from continental nations
No soldier Of ours can so anywhere unless
a sailor carries him there on his back
TIE modernizing Of the navy was Fishers
overmasterng idea from a very early period
in his long career. In 1904 Prime Minister
Balfour gave him practically free hand
Two years later he initiated the dreadnought
era of modern warfare, and incidentally
scrapped the British navy.
When Fisher entered whitehall, virtually
as commander-in-c chief the disposition of the
British fleet was still based on the politics
of a hundred years before, England had its
strongest forces still In the Mediterranean
and adjoining waters The Admiralty office
regarded France as Englands greatest foe.
Fisher declared, however that the British
empire was to be saved or lost in the North
Sea, which was rapidly becoming the German
Sea. England's battleships, he asserted,
we're too widely scattered Fisher had read
his Mahan well. and the central point OF
Mahan's philosophy was concentration. The
safety of the British empire, said Fisher, de-
manded concentration, and concentration In
home waters.
Acting upon his convictions he worked
revolution in British naval preparedness. He
created one entirely new squadron, called the
Atlantic fleet and also known as "the pivot
fleet" 1t was based on Gibraltar, and with
the help of wireless telegraphy it could
swing at a moments notice to Join either
the Channel fleet or the Mediterranean. The
test came n few months ago.
Fisher, who is now "A years old was born
at Calcutta, the son of Scottish army Of
ficer and his English wife, AS lad of
thirteen, his widowed mother being without
funds to send him to Eton, he entered as a
cadet on board the frigate Victory When
the boy stepped on deck he touched his cap
first of all to Sir William Parker, the last
survivor among Nelson's captains at Ira
falgar.
In the Crimean Was he was a midshipman
'There never was such a plucky little beg
gar" says friend, "ouicl as a monkey,
keen as a needle, hard as nails. He would
do anything and go anywhere. He didn't
know what fear was or that there such
a word in the language as can't And yet
with it all he was one of the quetest most
modest fellows have ever known"
AS an officer Fisher always had the sea-
dog attitude toward his men, treating them
like whaling captain, and yet permitting a
half friendly half-hostile familiarity. The
story is told in the Worlds Work that he
once visited one OF his old associates of the
forecastle who was then living on half pay
He found the old man comfortably settled in
a cottage, attended by another superan-
nuated seaman.
"Why do you have this other man here?"
asked the Admiral.
"I keep i'm 'ere," said the pensioner, "to
come to my quarters at o'clock in the
mornin' an sing out, Hi there, the Hadmlral
wants to see your At that I merely rolls
over in my bed ana says, Tell old Fisher to
go to 'el"
The navy knows the Admiral as "oId
Fisher"
TEN STORIES ENOUGH
r,-.,, Al. CHICAGO TrvaninR Poat