The New Heads of the Navy

Horowhenua Chronicle, 14 August 1915, Page 4

The New Heads of the Navy

LETTER FROM AN ADMIRALTY OFFICER. Mr Franklin Webb, ol Levin, has received tho following interesting letter l'rom his brother, Captain Richard Webb, R.N., C.Ji., who: ws on special duty at the Admiralty in connection with the German submarine blockade.. Captain Webb writes:— "How splendidly the New Zealand and Australian troops are doing, and how proud the whole Empire may well feel of them, and of the Canadians and Dotha's men. It is quite the finest tiling of tho war, and the iorclng of the Straits will change tho whole lace of the campaign. So those valuable lives will have been as truly given for the Empire as if they had died in Franco. ''1 think this Coalition Government should be a great success, and, any how, wo at the Admiralty aro delighted to get two such giants ol strategy and organisation as Mr Balfour and Sir H. Jackson. They couldn't have made a better appointment, and it will all make lor a maximum ol efficiency and, consequently, of success. "There is a point in your letter which 1 would mention. You say: '1 don't see how the Germans can liolct out much longer.' Well, as you probably know that tho most marvellous thing in the war: The German power organisation has absolutely compelled success so far, and will enable tliein to hold out almost indefinitely. It is a perfect revelation in what organisation, backed by a determination to win at all costs, will do for a nation. 'We could never do that. Our constitution and public feeling wouldn't allow it; and it is certainly most uncomfortable, but it is marvellous, past all telling, and, of course, increases our task enormously. "The submarine blockade naturally absorbs a great deal oi my time, and it's a wonderful fact that not one single vessel is hung up in port due to any hanging back on the part of the crews to lace the new and dastardly peril which now confronts theni. Never have I felt more proud ol any countrymen or more disgusted witli those slackers and strikers who seek to use England's difficulties lor their ow*n selfish claims."—Dominion.