New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-02-21

+ Row the fight was going: thence TO
/ the Princess Royal. Next he himself
( tells US that he broke of the battle
/ because the presence Of the enemy sub
marines "necessltated" the breaking on.
He relinquished the greater victory
which would otherwise have been his.
lie e thinking Admiral as well as
Sighting Admiral | take it this act,
the one which is the most difficult of
all, convinccs the experts OF his fitness
for high command.
began this letter meaning TO write
about the Mar. but the man and the
Admiral are one and must cut short
such memories as | have Of the man.
II is only from = week end at knole
last year that ! know him. | had seen
his portrait by LasZlo ] knew his
record. knew he had married a
daughter Of Mr.. Marshall Field, the
great citizen who more than all
others broadened the fame Of Chicago.
Rszlo's portrait was but a sketch, but
in il two things stood out from a
rather himSy canvas,-rOwer and re-
frcmcnt. From the face itself the
impression Of each was far more def
rite. Nothing of the bluff sailor.
Nothing Of the quarterback manner.
OF no great stature. The features
ltEAaAIH cue IN l'lt 1-4Oil iUIdN u =
but neither the slightness Of the figure
nor the IepoSe Of demeanor could al
together obscure the tremendous en-
orgy there is in him. The eyes re-
voaied il: ewes that we're observant
without being restless: watchful from
habit, as II at sea fixed on 2 far hori-
z0n. and roaming over illimItshlc
spaces: and all az once flashes Of light
in them and an unforeseen message
20 the outer world You were not
obliged 10 suppose he was an Admiral
There was in the voice no asserting
note Of authority, but the even tone
which in the social world leaves emo
! tons and passions unexpressed. That
the authority was there you never
doubted
No Enclishman talks 10 you readily
about his profession and still less
about himself By way of inducing
Sir David 70 break that rule. or rather
, habit, told him my one desire as a
} boy had been to enter the navy; and
( the regret that ! could not had never
been sppeased. The appeal brought
an unexpected response. 81 will tell
you everything can, but If you will
come down TO Portsmouth some day !
can do Better than that My ship and
the feet and all the rest will tell their
own story But | went to America
and returned only as the war began;
and the feet already far at sea. So
my chance of seeing the contrast. II
there be one, between the man and the
Admiral was lost. Contrast, /. sup
pose. there is none. The air of com
mand repressed but unmistakable, was
evident enough in the man | had met
on shore. -I,
Two things / ask YOU 70 consider.
Sir David has won his two sea fights
within these few months in novel con-
ditions. These had first to be mas
tered. Precedents there we're none. II
is this which makes his success so
splendid. it is not only the great ira
ditions Of the Navy which he reyives,
but the genius of the man which APP
plies them in other circumstances and
by other methods.
The second is even more momentous
than this shining proof that the spirit
of the Navy is what II always has been.
Il is evident thai the question OF
German invasion enters on new
phase. If they cannot race across the
North Sea undiscovered with their fast
seat cruisers. what chance have they of
faskine the massage with feet of
transports far less swift? When they
came before, nothing but the fog saved
them. They may still come. Hate
like despair, is an evil counsellor, but
II plays a great part among the Ger
mans, and still in one way or another
may send them TO their preordained
doom of disaster and destruction.
T. " &