A COMING MAN.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3609, 5 February 1883, Page 4

A COMING MAN.

(The World.)

The name of Lord Charles Bercsford did not appear in the list of officers .vho Averc specially mentioned hi the vote of thanks to the troops, but the services of the commander of the Condor in the Egyptian Avar will not soon bo forgotten by his _ countrymen. There is a Aery general opinion that the NaAy has scarcely received its duo for the part it j.layed in the late expedition, and it is a matter of regret that the Navy has been someivhat overlooked. As Lord Charles Bercsford tolcl the Cutlers' Company, there is uo feeling of jealousy iv the Navy of the sister Bervice. The Navy i_ proud of tho deeds of the Army, as avc have no doubt the Army is proud of tho deeds of the Navy.

It Avas simply an accident that the Nsuy happened to be left in the background. No other conclusion is possible to people Avho do not Avish to be accused of Avant of charitA-. The" part Lord Charles Berc-sford played in the Egyptian AVar is so avc-11 known that there is _. necessity to say a Avord about it. Since July 11 everyone is'aware of tho fret that in Lord Charles Bercsford the >avy has an officer avlio is not only Avilhng, but able, to uphold its splendid traditions, and, whenever opportunity offers, to maintain its honor. The gallant officer who commanded the Condor is the brother ot the present Alarquis of AVaterford, and is yet considerably less than forty years of age. But he has" had tho advantage of being m flic NaA-y from the early age of thirteen. At the outset of his j.roi'cs. ional career he obtained a rejmtation for doing his duty, but is AA-orthy of note that off duty he avus extremely unmanageable and reckless. The folloAving story is not iicav, but it is worthy of repeating just now. It is related that he and another boy climbed up the flagstaff at an American consul's house, pulled (loavii the flag, took it to their ship, and hung it to a basket at the mainmast. AVhen the escajiade Avas discoA-ered, both the consul and the captain Averc, of course, indignant, and the two boys AAX-rc sentenced to climb the consul's pole in broad daylight and put the flag in its -place again. Bercsford refused to obey, and it is highly probable that his connection Avith the sen-ice would then and there have terminated, if a friend had not telcgraj-hed to his mother. His mother at once telegraphed back to him "Put the flag back for my sake." Then the spirit of'the dutiful son shoAved itself. Lord Charles at once gave in, and, i>erhaj)X characteristically, jiroceeded to the other extreme. He not merely obeyed the injunction of the eajitain, but'put the flag'back with all the cclv.t possible, and engaged a j>hotographer to take his jn'cture as he avus clinging to the pole, i half-AA-ay up it, with the stars and stripes spread over his shoulder. To this day the picture and all the neAvsjiajier notices that could be jirocurcd of the CA'cnt ba\-e been carefully preserved. On a'subsequent occasion the boy ju-oved father to the man in a more striking manner. AVhen Lord Charles Berc-sford was scA'cnteen, a man Avho avus getting from a boat into the Defence, then lying iv Dublin Bay, fell overboard. Instantly Lord Charles jumped into the Avater and saved him. For this he Avas aAvarded a gold medal from the Liverpool Shijm'reck and Humane Society. Later on he received a bronze medal "and clasp of the Royal Humane Society for a similar act. He served successively in the A_arlborough, the Defence, the Clio," the Tribune, the Luche/, and tho Research. AVhilc he Avas sublieutenant of the Research, it is recorded of him that he avus the '* Avildest young fellow "on the ship. "He had everything," says one of the sailors, "in the Avay of money anyone could Avant, but he Avould risk- his life twenty times Avhere I Avouldn't risk mine once, though I Avas slaving for a living. There was nothing he couldn't do. But he Avas a splendid sailor. He could shoAV older officers than he avus all over the ship. AVild as he avus, too. he Avas ahvays straight to the mark Avlieu he avus on deck, but betAveen decks—avc-11, there- Avas nothing too hot for him. If ever there aa'us a dangerous place to get info, Bercsford avus there first." From another quarter the story is told lioav he and another youth carried off a large, gilded, wooden eagle that formed the sign of a jmbljo-house at Holyhead, Avere chased by the police, but carried the big bird by turns, got it into a boat, and eventually to their ship, Avhere they dressed it iv pantalettes and stick-up collar, and put; it on the breakfast-table. In 18G8 Lord Charles received his commission as a lieutenant, and in 1872 was appointed flag-lieutenant ou the Galatea. BetAveen these periods, in 1871, at Port Stanley, in th<- Falkland Islands, lie again saved the life of a droAvning man at the peril of his oaa'ii. In 1575 he AA-as elevated to tho runk of commander, and in tho same year AVent to India Avith the Prince of AVales as naval aide-de-camp. In 1882, well the Avorld knoAvs, he avus specially promoted to the rank of captain. If he is not a coming man, it would be difficult to point to any officer in the Navy to AA'hoiu that designation apjilies. It is not unreasonable to entertain the expectation that Lord Charles Bercsford Avill some day himself command the Alcditerranean Fleet.