Evening star., 1936-03-11
EARL BEATTY DIES
OF LONG ILLNESS
Retired British Admiral Was
One of Outstanding World
War Heroes.
By the Associated Press.

",
IS, World War navy hero and former
first lord Of the admiralty. died early
today at his London home, his long
illness having been aggravated by
attendance at the funerals of King
George v and Earl Jellicoe.
The death Of the square -jawed, keen
eyed retired admiral of the feet, orig
inator of the world famed Beatty
tilt" the jaunty angle at which he
wore his cap, created Q new gap In
the fast-thinning ranks Of Britain's
war leaders.
Wartime Premier David Lloyd
George and Winston Churchill, among
the statesmen; Field Marshal Viscount
E. H. H. Allenby and Field Marshal
Sir William Riddel Birdwood, among
the generals, and Admiral Sir Roger
J. B. Keyes, representing the navy,
are among the principal first-rank
figures surviving him.
Dies Of Complications.
Earl Beatty, whose dashing conduct
IN the Battle OF Jutland and other
engagements won him a place as a
navy hero, succumbed to complications
arising from q severe cold he suffered
last Fall.
He left his sick bed last November
rs for the funeral OF Earl Jellicoe, his
predecessor as navy commander in
chief afioat.
So Jellicoe is gone," he said then.
I feel that I will be the next to be
summoned. I don't think the call will
be very long. am tired, very tired"
Two months later, on January 20,
ne left his sick bed again to take part
in the funeral for King George.
His eldest son and heir to the title,
Viscount Borodale: his doctor and a
nurse were at the bedside at death.
Old Sailors Weep.
Today old sailors who once obeyed
his commands at sea filed past the
deathbed, some weeping openly.
Beatty's death made necessary a
parliamentary by-election for the
Peckham district of South London,
which is represented for the present
In the House of Commons by his heir.
Earl Beatty retired as admiral of
the feet when he reached the age
limit Of IS last January II.
Funeral arrangements were not an
nounced Immediately.
Career Distinguished.
Lord Beatty had a career UNIQUE in
British naval history, distinguished by
brilliant service and rapid promotion.
Starting his training as a boy of
Is. he advanced within IS years
through the whole gamut of naval pos
sibilities and relinquished the high
ONCE OF first sea lord at the compare
lively early age of 56.
Afterward he continued fighting the
battles OF the navy in the House of
Lords.
Endowed with a fighting spirit, he
was recognized as bold and self-con-
fldent leader who tempered courage
and dash with shrewd judgment and
skill in strategy.
In command of the first battle
cruiser squadron when the World War
broke out, he made it the spearhead
OF the British forces in the North Sea.
leading them In three outstanding en-
gagements-the battles of Heligoland
blgnt, the Dogger Bank and Jutland.
He succeeded Sir John Jellicoe as
commander in chief Of the grand fleet
in December, 1916. in which capacity
two years later he received the sur
render of the German fleet.
For his distinguished service, the
admiral was raised to the peerage in
1919. being created Earl Beatty. Vis-
count Borodale of Wexford, and Baron
Beatty of the North Sea and of
Brooksby. Parliament voted him a
grant of fl00 900; and he was awarded
the Order of Merit
In November, 1919. he became first
sea lord, holding the Office for seven
years and nine months. This was a
unique term, since seven years Is
named in the regulations as the maxi
mum for which an officer will be re-
tanned on the board Of admiralty.
Champions Big Navy.
Earl Beatty, on the occasion of Navy
week, August 4, 1884, the twentieth
anniversary Of Great Britain's entry
into the World War, urged the scrap
ping of the London treaty, the build
ing Of big navy and the immediate
correction Of the "deplorable" state of
its cruiser weakness. He named Ger
many as the chief disturbing point in
Europe.
In December of that year he char
acterized Britain's acceptance of a
cruiser feet Of so, instead of 10, as a
"deplorable blunder." He told a mass
meeting that the mistake must be
rectifed at the next naval conference.
SWANSON CABLES SYMPATHY.