LORD CHAS. BERESFORD.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 465, 25 March 1909, Page 5

LORD CHAS. BERESFORD.

FAREWELLED BY SQUADRON. (BTTELECIUTO-riiESS ASSOCIATION-COM-niailT.) (Rcc. March 24, 11.5 p.m.) London, March 24. Tho officers and men of tho Channel Squadron gavo an enthusiastic farewell to Admiral Lord Chas. Beresford.

THE HOME FLEET COMMANDS. Admiral Lord Chns. Ueresford, who has commanded the Channel Squadron since 1900, 7s now 02 years of age. ITe figured last year in a iurimis newspaper controversy bearing on his relations w,th Ins colleagues in tho Channel l'leet Subsequently, it was reported that ho had been asked to stand in the Unionist interest for tho Portsmouth constituency. The second son ot tho fourth Marquis of Waterlord, Lord Charles was selected while still only a naval lieutenant to accompany tho King oil lus trip to India. Ho commanded the Condor at tho bombardment of Alexandria, whero his Gallantry brought him a signalled "Well done, Condor! and mention in dispatches. Ho served ?- n Lo J d Wolselcy's staff in tho Nilo Expedition ot 1881. commanded the Safia, relieved Sir Shanes Wilson, saved tho desert column, and received tho thanks of Parliament. In 18SG ho became a Lord Commissioner of tho Admiralty and resigned in 1888 on tho question of the" strength of the fleet. He has three medals for lite-saving, and has been in and out of Parliament between his appointments at sea. ,J^ 0 . nco ™»K the new fleet commands, tho Daily Mail" of February 12 states :-"An important chango will bo made in tho commands of tho three fleets in Homo waters. Hitherto ticro havo been three commanders-in-chief in theso waters—a division of authority that has proved unsatisfactory. In future there will bo only ono commander-in-chief. "Vice-Admiral Sir William May will, as wo announced some days ago, be in chief command of tho new North Sea Fleet, which will include eight battleships taken from tho Channel Fleet. His authority will also extend to tho reduced Channel Fleet, of which ViceAdmiral Sir Berkeley Milno will be commander, and to the partly-manned ships commonlv known ns the nucleus ships, tho command of which will be entrusted to Vice-Admiral Neville.

"Neither Vice-Admiral Milno nor ViccAdmiral Neville will have the position or title of commander-in-chief. Vice-Admirnl May alono will be commander-in-chief in Home waters. He will, therefore, bo able to inspect the ships of tho Channel Fleet and of the Nucleus Fleet, and to give directions for the training of tho men. Under the existing arrangement theso rosponsibililios were divided; and were a cause of confusion and friction.

"No command has been assigned to Vice- ' Admiral Sir Porcy Scott."