New-York tribune., 1920-07-11
IIi,,iral Fisher,
Idol Of British
Navy, Is Dead
sfsiher Of Dreatlnough =
famous for Organizing
Fleet for War, Fails "a
Rally After Operation
Saw Action When Only Is
Time First Sen Lord Re-
tired in 1915 Following
Clashes With the Cabinet

frcn The TrsbuHs's Earcpcon Bwre0u
.,,,vr,rht. 1890 New York Tribune. 1nc.1
" LONDON, July 1o.Admiral John
.rAuthnot Fisher, first Baron Of Kill
yerston and former First Lord of the
admiralty, died this morning after an
,r.ration which he underwent yester-
s.v ma from which he failed to rally.
Though in his eightieth year, Briton's
s.est sailor remained active until the
nd. He was frequent contributor to
he press, ard never lost interest in
the affairs of the nation. Hating
sh.ms. humbug and hypocrisy. Lord
fisher constantly wrote breezy letters
a sThe London Times" and recently
rade a sharp attack on the govern
meut. charging it with unnecessary
ertravagance in the war.
Lord Fisher was even more popular
dian Lord Kitchener. and when he re-
s;sned from the Admiralty, in May,
i9i5. his action was viewed as ma
tional calamity.
the heir to the baronetcy.
Known As sJackie" Fisher
Jackie" Fisher he always was to the
British tars. 1.-The Father of the
Dreadnought" he was often called be-
cause Of his advocacy of great battle
ships, carrying all big guns. "The
Kitchener Of the Navy" he was called
five years ago because Of his mastery
organization work at the beginning Of
the Great War. To the general public
he was, pari-passu with Charles Bcres-
ford. an enfant terrible of the British
navy; perhaps more than any other
commander in hundred years a re-
yised edition of the great Dundonald.
Officially he was Baron Fisher of Kill
yerstone, Admiral of the Fleet
John Arbuthnot Fisher was the son
of William and Sophia (Lambe) Fisher,
his father captain in a Highlander
regiment. He was born in Ceylon, Jan
uary 25, 1941. He entered his teens
and the navy together, and as boy
of thirteen saw action in the Crimea.
As a lieutenant he served in the China
expedition of 1860 and was in the at
tacks upon the Canton and .Pei-ho
forts. He commanded the famous old
InAexible, then perhaps the most
powerful ship in the world; in the
bonbardment of Alexandria in 1882,
and later commanded the bluejacket
police in that city. In the latter serv-
ice he gave the first striking example
Of his quality in the iron severity OF
his administration.
"War Should Be Made Hellish!"
Thereafter until 1897 he was on
shore duty at Portsmouth and else
where, ranking as one Of the ablest
administrative officers in the service
Two years command of the North
American and West Indian stations
followed, and then he was a delegate
to the first Hague Peace Congress,
where he caused sensation by his
blunt comments on war and peace.
There is no such thing as humane
war" he declared. WAR should be
made as hellish and direct in effect as
possible. There is no excuse for it
otherwise. When you have to wiring
chickens neck, all you think about is
wringing it quickly. You don't give the
chicken intervals for rest and refresh
ment."
At that same congress he unsparingly
condemned the use OF submarine yes
sells. "If | catch any in time Of war;"
ne said, "Ill string their crews up to
my yardarm!"
Reorganizing the Navy
For the next two years he was COM
mander in chief in the Mediterranean,