ADMIRALTY LORDS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1630, 23 December 1912, Page 5

ADMIRALTY LORDS.

j MR. CHURCHILL AND HIS CRITICS. ALLEGED " DISMISSALS-" "OFFENSIVE & SCURRILOUS , CHARQES." By Telefrrai>h-Pres3 Assoolation-OoDyrleht London, December 20. In the House of Commons, Mr. Edward Fitzroy's motion to adjourn raised the question of Sir Francis Bridgeman's resig- ' nation. : Lord Beresford disclaimed any party ■ feeling, or that he was not friendly with • Sir Francis Bridgeman, who had objected to Lord Beresford's creation as an admiral of the fleet. But there was much feeling in the Navy over the matter. Sir Francis Bridgenun, said Lord Beresford, was the fifth Sea Lord whom Mr. Churchill had dismissed. Admiral Sir Arthur Wilson, who was also retired from the position of First Sea Lord, received ith'e same sort of insolent letter. .• Lord Bcresford added that Sir Francis . Bridgeman was dismissed because he difj fered on technical matters. . L Mr. Winston Churchill replied that Lord . Beresford did not moan to be as offensive , as he really was. Ho was an orator who [ did not know what he was going to say." t His gross and scurrilous charges were unsupported by any evidence. Sir Francis Bridgeman had given his written assent to every act of the naval policy requiring it. His health was quite unequal to the strain of an attack of bronchitis following appendioitis. Mr. Churchill said he accordingly consulted the Premier (Mr. Asquith) and the King. (Reo. December 22, 5.5 p.m.) London, December 21. Lord Beresford accused Mr. Churchill of assuming executive equally with administrative functions. This, he declared, was exemplified in the Sidney Street riot. Similarly, at the Admiralty, he had interfered and took charge during the manoeuvres. ' Mr. Churchill: That is absolutely un- . ,trne. No order or instruction, directly ' or indirectly, was sent by me. Lord Beresford: Taking charge is a naval expression. You probably don't understand. 1 Mr. Bonar Law (Unionist leader) rei marked that Admiral Bridgeman had interpreted Mr. Churchill's first letter as optional upon him to resign or remain, and he had replied that he was well enough to continue. Then came Mr. • Churchill's se'eond and most insulting leti ter, intimating that tho Admiral's resig- • nation had already been arranged. ; Mr. Churchill then read the whole of , the correspondence. Mr. Bonar Law: Had I received a letter like the second I should have considered myssif brutally ill-used. ( The subject then dropped and tie House adjourned till December 30. PRESS COMMENT. , LORD BERESFORD REBUKED, . 1 (Eeo. December 22, 5.5 p.m.) London, December 21. The "Times" declares that Mr. Churchill's frank statement of Admiral Bridgeman's case should prove conclusive. The ; subject had been overlaid by prejudice and i confused by all .sorts of unworthy insinuations. The "Daily Mail" remarks that Mr. Churchill's speech dissipated suspicions, and dealt vigorously with Lord Beres- • ford's insinuations which, states the ' journal, must be attributed to the imagination of one who has suffered.disappointment, rather than to real knowledge. Many newspapers consider that Mr. Churchill had the best of the duel, and that his action has been justifie.d