New Britain herald., 1917-12-28
ADMIRALTY CHANCE
 STANDS APPROVED
British Press BeheVes Retirement
 of Jelicos Will Result FaYQrably

London. Dec. 2s.-The retirement of AdnAiral Sir John R. Jellicoe as First SeA Lord and the appointment of Vice Admiral Sir Rosslyn Wemyss caused widespread comment, and was treated by some of the morning news pApers as a sensational surprise.
 Tho Daily Mail says: We have not for some time past concealed our opinion that this step was desirable. We cannot, therefore. pretend to re- lwret it. Recent events. some of which are matters of public knowledge. made F. in our judgment. inevitable. and Sir Brio Oeddes deserves the thanks of tho country for not having shrunk fcon the painful duty.
 Tn the criticisms that we have felt obliged to pass upon the Admiralty policy during tho last eighteen months ve never hesitated to acknowledge Sir Joiln Jellicoe's high technical pro- iic;1ncy in his profession He has served the navy and the nation long and faithfully, to the fullest extent of hls powers nnd capacities and he las &massed a really remarkable knowledge of the details of the ser Vice. That he was a great fighting .Adxairal, history with ail the facts before it, will perhnps hardly affirm. but li!s personal qualities commanded the eateeYs and atfection of the ofh- cern and mon who served under him, and 1t must not be forgotten that dur Ing the period of his war service at req he was bearing the burden and the strain of on enormous responsi- bality.
 "To these attributes and services ws have always done justice, and the sole and sufficient ground for our ob- icctionR to him as First Sea Lord was the convection thnt the naval guid- sAncC of the war in his hands was N1inE ,n Initiative. flex;bility and nf0cision. We have never during the Inst year and half been persuaded k1hAt Jellicoe's qualities as a routine X fitted him to be tho chief adrfser to the government on aii1h problems of strategy and policy, but we hope he will long enjoy the honorahle retirement which is de- 5earved by a man who has served his tktng and country with all his StrenGth and devotion"
 ahe Daily News says:
 sa III A1 idle to pretend that the record v SI1 Admiralty during the last few JEk0a&AS4-in part, 1t Is true, through fcAuaos f0f which the admiralty was in no senee responsible-has inspired general \ confidence. 1he relative failuru to meet the submarine cam paiKn has been exalted by the idle boasts nf the prime minister into bbsitive failure in the public mind. The recent debate on the convoy sys- tom and the deplorably weak defense of the .tovernmcnt's spokesmen has further Impaired, rightly or wrongly he admlraltys credit, and the facts which have leaked out about the ma No,tnl. shipyards,' and our shipbulld- lnnr nnlicy generally have done nothing 4o rastoru 1t. Finally. there ts the trk kfc story of the destruction of two &nnndinavian conveys within few wnak. of each other, and, worst of all. in tho impression that 1t created; al- no 1hh sinking of British trawlers oy 3nrnnnn deUtroyers close to the mouth of tho Tyne. All of these things to- rothor worked naturally enough to diucredit severely the theory or sea power for which Jellicoe has neeo understood to stand ,.
 ..The nation will learn with regret, xAyt Tho Daily Telegraph. that SIT John Jellicoe, whom 1t had grown 70 respect and trust. Is no longer nEst sea lord of the admiralty. This m tellikencc was published this morning without explanation. but we presume that in view of This very distinguished uaryices.. to quote the official an nounceuent. and the decision of the king to confer peerage on him that nnr,sA further statement will be forth corninr ln due course. At this stage in tho war we cannot afford to have misunderstanding. Tho confidence of the public must be supported, and in the absence of . fuller commun1Que than that published today, rumor will be active, possibly to the injury of the aea service, and perhaps even to the government itself"
 The Times says that Admiral Jel- licoe's retirement Is much more than . per6onal event of great importance that 1t implies consequential changes not only of personnel, but of policy and that the whole issue which lies behind the changes 1s the necessity for Eiving younger men their chance
 'sf'hA older men," says The Times .clinT to older ways: younger mer believe they can more readily adap themselves to new conditions If thea receive DuAAcaent freedom of action The process of inHltration has beer at work tar sono time. as Sir Fri Geddes showed In his speech in th' House of Commons Dn November l Young ofYicers have been brought t the admiralty in considerable mum hers. Tne country, without quit knovvinT what was wrong, has vaguel' felt that 1ll vAs not well It the ad miralty. The repeated minor raaes b
 tha enemy or tho oas4 coast, and es
 pecial3y on the coast of Kent, durin!
 the eayfy part of the yoAr. shook tn
 pubic faith. Thcso episodes were no
 in therhoeives of great importance, bu
 in spttesso9 the huCnt and not yer
 convsneanE etacfM explanations tn