QUAINT FISHERISMS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2194, 26 October 1920, Page 1

QUAINT FISHERISMS.

EXPLOSIONS FROM A GREAT

MIND

The following are some of Iho late Admiral Lord Fisher’s most striking phrases: — I say with St. Paul, ‘T boast myself' a little.” He was compelled— l so am I. I sometimes think I am the only sane man. I have keen til years in the scim vieo of my eounlry, and I leave mV reeord in the hands of my countrymen. I am content to wait. I have always had to tight like hell, and lighting like hell has made me what 1 am. Hunger and thirst are the way to heaven. On the Government: Sack the lot. But the lot are our Masters and we are the Slaves. Hit hard, hit first, hit anywhere. Moderation in war is imbecility. The essence of war is violence. You cannot humanise war. You might as well talk of humanising hell! Speed and the big gun are everything. Our motto in the war was' Too Late. England never .sueeumbs. The frontiers of England are the sea coasts of her enemies. Stead was a pro-Boer and so was I. On Battleships: Build few and build fast. Each one belter than the last. Millions of tortoises Avou’t catch a hare. On Percy Scott tile hits the target, I don’t think he ever poured water down anybody's back. We still have ancient Admirals who believe in bows and arrows. I leave the oil and anti-oil experts to eat each other, but have no doubt that oil is the fuel of the future. And the engine of the future won’t have boilers. Not far off we shall harness the moon. The Admiralty thought of eoal in the oil age, it was so safe. Lot’s wife thought of her toasted muffins. Genius is not insanity; it only means the man is before his time.

There are three types of secrecy ■ —(1) the ostrich, (2) the red box, (3) the real thing. The secrecy of the red box is that of a distingu-* ished admiral who used to have his red dispatch box carried before him as containing the most secret plans; but one day the box being unfortunately capsized and burst open, the only contents that fell out were copies of “Le Vie Parisienne.” If you want to think anything out never go for a long walk —you have to think about turning corners. It’s only damned fools who * argue.