ADMIRAL SIR PERCY SCOTT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 263, 29 March 1913, Page 5

ADMIRAL SIR PERCY SCOTT.

ATTACKS LOUD CIIAS. BERESFORD. By: Cable—Press Association —Copyright. ; ' London, March 27. ■ Admiral Sir Persy Scott, having retired' from the service, -dashingly attacks' Lord Charles Beresford in the British Review apropos of some old grievances. He denies Lord Charles reputation as a seaman, as iji twenty-one years' service he only sjei'ved five of them at sea. Isiß PERCY SCOTT'S RETIREMENT. ; London, March 12. ' Sir Percy Scott's retirement from the navy upon liis promotion to the rank of Admiral will bring promotion to several other officers. '; Vice-Admiral Sir George Egerton will Ije advanced to the rav.k of Admiral, ftear-Adniiral A. A. C. GJloway to that df Vice-Admiral, and Captain Erskine tb that of Rear-Admiral. \ Sir Percy Scott is om of the most distinguished officers in the British navy, vlhieh he entered in 1306. He has done much to improve the gunnery of the lleet, and is the town tor of the nightsignalling apparatus now in use and of various appliances ior improving heavy gun shooting. He proved an exceedingly useful oflicor in tie South African war, during whTrh he distinguished himself by inventing the carriages that enabled tjic Gin. am! 4.7 guns to be. used against the Doers.

ADM.IPALTY JQYS NOT WANT TIIM. ! BETTER :.if)XEY ELSEVYIIERL. London, 'March 14. ; Admiral Sir Percy Scott, in the course of an interview, said that, he would aittain to Ine rank of admiral on the twentieth nf this month, and then he would relive. It would be only a financial loss for him to remein on the active service list. The Gunnery Hoard had not requested him to continue to place his knowledge at its disposal. The inference conveyed in this message is that Sir Percy Sr-ott is tired of "wait nig fcir the Admiralty to give him some responsible position in connection with gunnery manufacture, an invention, lie s.ivb. in effect. "My brains are for sale to the highest bidder," and in order t.n prove to the public that his action is not improper, or mean, or disloyal, he points out that, the Gunnery Board is of the opinion that it can do just as well without the Admiral as with him. Sir Percv Scott's argument is a sound one. There are plenty of admirals. Put there are few brains so fertile as his in the matters to which hp has paid so much attention, and which lie has studied so deeply. Only recently a. wonderful invention of his was proved to be a great advantage in big gunnery, and it was hv no means the first of its kand. When Sir Percy Scott has severed hjmself from the Rovnl Navy it is quite pi-obable that one of the big armament manufacturing firms will take him up, apd then the Admiralty will have to pay for the ideas that they might have retained themselves. Such things have happened liefore at the Admiralty.