New Britain herald., 1918-12-27

and that we have contributed our
mite to the winning of the war and
done our part in demonstrating to
our country that the maintenance OF
IL strong navy mas not been in vain,
but has borne abundant fruit and
more than paid for itself.
Zone of the greatest lessons taught
us by this war is that we must, for
the preservation of our Country's
freedom and honor, for our rights
and liberty. for peace and prosperity,
build and maintain n navy that will
insure us these blessings.
while there are many other de-
partmontS of tho Government, as we'll
as many civil ana private enterprises
which contributed most abun dainty to
insuring a successful end to the war;
and while all are more or less neces-
sary and interdependent yet without
an efficient and strong navy, which
was ready at the very beginning of
the war, and which cannot be Great
ed overnight, this war would have
ended far differently from its presnt
victorious conclusion.
mot only has our navy in the pres
ent war been largely instrumental in
bringing about and nsuring these
blessings to us, let us hope for many
Years to come, but 1t has done more.
It has contributed It's fair share to-
ward bringing about a worlds peace,
and put our nation, our country, in
the lead, in tho very forefront of the
nations Of the earth, and in that en-
allied position to which the eyes of the
world are now turned in admiration
as their friend and guide in making
this peace enduring
Farewell Dime rto Beatty.
Admiral Rodman his staff, and the
officers Of the dreadnouGhts of the
9Th Battle Squadron babe farewell to
Sir David Beatty on November 10.
The occasion was a dinner on the
New York in honor of Admiral Boat
ty. On that occasion Admiral Rod
man. speaking for himself and the
officers of his mand, said:
ut is truly impossible for me to ex-
press to you, the commander-in-c chief
and flag officers Of the Grand Fleet
the pride and honor which / and my
fellow countrymcn of the 9th Battle
Squadron feel for the great privilege
which has been granted us of serv-
ing for the last year as an integral
part of your force, under cur most
efficient, genial, and well-tried COM
mander-in-c and with the others
Of the British navy. ":# >.
"It Is needless for me to reiterate
that which is known and recognized
throughout the civilized world; name
ly, that it Is the Grand Fleet which
has been the very backbone of the
structure, which has made a victori-
Gus peace a certainty. Without it the
war would long ago have been disas-
trously concluded, with just the re-
verse conditions obtaining from those
which now exist.
I'm addition to indisputably en-
phasizing the value and necessity or
sea power. and the command of the
sea, the greatest lesson which this
war has brought home to us is that,
though we may have ben born under
different flags and are accredited as
belonging to different nations, yet
these are more a matter of geograph-
ic boundary or delneation than Of
real or important differences and that
aftor all the same blood flows through
our veins We have the same ideals
f rights, morals, and national liberty,
and that when the time came to show
this to our common enemy, we could
not only unite under a single leader
ship but could coordinate and CO.
operate smoothly, easily. pleasantly,
without the slightest friction, and yet
have an efficient and we'll adjusted
force ready for any emergency or
duty for which it might be called up
on to perform
IT shall always look upon the year
spent in the Grand Fleet not only as
one Of the profitable, but particularly
as one of the most pleasant and
agreeable of a lifetime, and can only
ascribe 1t to the never ending courte-
sy help and assistance, which you,
our commander in chief, and other
flag officers, one and all, were ever
ready to extend to us; particularly in
the beginning. when we were more or
less strangers to you and your ways,
but who, If you feel as / do, have be-
come more like true and well-tr1ed
friends, or even as brothers, between
whom I trust and believe that the in
timacy and affection which has been
engendered by our mutual association
and common cause will last forever
afterward.'
Admiral Rodnan goes to Washing
ton today to confer with officials Of
the navy department. On January
or Z the squadron will sail for the
winter rnaneuver grounds off Guanta-