MINISTER'S APPEAL.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 520, 29 May 1909, Page 5

MINISTER'S APPEAL.

"IN A TIME OF EXTREME PRESSURE." 1 ;'■..: (Rep.' May 28, 9.55 p.m.) ';..;,'. , 1 i':.'r.- : ;.;. ;/ • London, May 28. . ] In consequence of the publication of moro ( correspondence from Sir John Fisher, First ] Sea Lord, to the detriment of Lieutenant ] Bollairs (M.P. for King's Lynn,-and a naval I critic of the Admiralty),: further; -reference J has been made to the matter, in the House ; of Commons. Messrs. C; 0. Craig and .0. Stewart Bowles (Unibniste) charged Sir John Fiqhcr/ with conducting: a personal campaign within and -wsthout tho Navy in order'to further his bwn.ends. . ,'.'_. '-. : -.■.;■ ,■, : ; . Replying,. ' the First Lord of . the ' Admiralty, Mr, M'Kenna, said that Sir John Fisher.had had d«traotors and enemies for many years. It would be. unfair to. condemn him because in a, time of extreme pressure he ordered the, ptintbg of half o dozen injudicious..letters... ,,/■ ~ ■'■'~, •.'.■.:■■■■: < . /SIR JOHN ,FIBHER.-APPRECIAf lONS. ' , A correspondent of an English newspaper, in the courso, of an appreciation of.btr, John Fisher, Sftys:—■.-■'• ' •..■v "■■■: : .'•■;■•.■ .':•.• ; -"Sir John Fishetwas givena freehand when ho'took .office in.-1904..-. :.TVhat were; his acts? Hβ rodistributed thft British Fleet, eonoentrating the.greater part of.it in British waters, - and,:in Captain Hahan's words, he stationed 86 por cent, of its .battleship force in or near Home' wators. , .' He reorganised tho reserve and' : accelerated the mobilisation >by the 'institution of'nucleus, orews,-the. admirable; working of , whioh has, been witnessed in mobilisation. Hβ discarded "mid 'recalled from fbreigh , 'stations the'ships'wh'ioh were of no serioUe value, and sent them mercilessly s to the reserring all his'. attention, for the effective vessels. He instituted a Naval 'War' College ! at Portsmouth to examine and ; test plans for naval war.' Hβ improved the shooting .of .the British Navy to Bueh an;extent that hits on the target be!canie twice as freciuent-a3'in the' before rhis.rulei.iV- .-^., ; ; ■.-.-. ■■■■ ■■: s --" , "-- ■'' ; ■ "Laat, but not least, in rai!B Brief summary • of his. policy,' he introduced, new designs. The , has boon copied by all the world; •the, Invincible olass marks a ; new. era in fast .armouredjOrpisers; the.destToyers.whioh-he has laid'dbWh liavo achieved records, , and are admittedlto btf'the'finest'ships l of their, kind'in existence." 1-T--' : ']-"" '■■'■; ;: .';'''■ l ' r ' ''•'■■'// ir.'i-r-" .yi.«;'..-•)■;,<.,i..H ■■■■.■. ■-■..( ,NOj i <\d 1 v?rtl8!!P.-.'i.|iv" , .!i.iy--:ii'. ;,^ : < ; r >-\' \.>.\' : '. .'i';Anoth'er writer asks: "Who is - Sir John ,' Fishor? His name is in all .mouths. :A realis of him,exists in very ,few minds.' this is in itself the. best, refutation of. a com-" moii] charge ,The First Sea Lord'is (iften described as- an advertising admiral. ; , , )'■ "Tile suggestion has even moro than the usual falsehood,of half-truth'. Sir John' Fisher is, aboye all, the man: of his age. ■ The Daylight .Saving Bill would not help him,to Ret. up earlior than ho does;' He is a ruthless realist iri.'alli.things, and what , Tie does not know of .human .nature.-is hardly .'worth ;knowing; / He knbwa very Well that in freo countries, publicity is a/power whioh' no force ban ever again suppress, .:and..'thßt it will be used for the,wrong purposes if it Iβ not used for tho right.. , "Sir.John Fisher hoe believed;all,his aotiye lire ln'awakening_hatlonal interest ia the Navy, and -in treating Britain-, upon , matters afleoting the fleet as - though ; this oountry. consisted of forty "millions who are, after all, something other than fools.. Hβ has advertised the Navy. It tis untrue'that 'he- hw advertised himself. If he had he would, be the. best known instead 6f the least known of all the creative and prevailing personalities in the service of 'the Empire," . ....,■ ,' ' ; ':■■'.'. '~','■: .'■ ■ ■ ■ -\ .^