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diff --git a/41109-0.txt b/41109-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..09fdbef --- /dev/null +++ b/41109-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2351 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 41109 *** + +Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this + file which includes the original illustrations. + See 41109-h.htm or 41109-h.zip: + (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/41109/41109-h/41109-h.htm) + or + (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/41109/41109-h.zip) + + + Images of the original pages are available through the + Internet Archive. See + http://archive.org/details/admiraljellicoe00appl + + + + + +ADMIRAL JELLICOE + +by + +ARTHUR APPLIN + + + +-----------------------------------------------------------------+ + | ADMIRAL JELLICOE | + | | + | | + | _UNIFORM WITH THIS VOLUME_ | + | | + | | + | Lord Roberts: | + | | + | THE STORY OF HIS LIFE | + | | + | By ROY VICKERS | + | | + | "A thrilling tale of the adventures of the Great | + | Field-Marshal.... Well written and makes a suitable gift | + | book." | + | --DAILY CALL. | + | | + | | + | Also at 1/6 net | + | | + | Lord Kitchener: | + | | + | THE STORY OF HIS LIFE | + | | + | By HORACE G. GROSER | + | | + | "An excellent life ... giving just the information the | + | general reader requires, and its perusal enables | + | everyone to understand the great part Lord Kitchener | + | has played in recent history." | + | --THE FIELD. | + +-----------------------------------------------------------------+ + + +[Illustration: SIR JOHN JELLICOE AS CAPTAIN] + + +ADMIRAL JELLICOE + +by + +ARTHUR APPLIN + + + + + + + +London +C. Arthur Pearson Ltd. +Henrietta Street, W.C. +1915 + + + + +CONTENTS + + + CHAPTER + I. THE BOY AND THE MAN + II. EARLY DAYS ON THE "BRITANNIA" + III. CADET--MIDSHIPMAN--LIEUTENANT + IV. THE SINKING OF THE "VICTORIA" + V. THE BOXER RISING IN CHINA + VI. THE SPIRIT OF DRAKE + VII. AS ORGANISER + VIII. VICE-ADMIRAL + IX. 1911-1913 + X. SUPREME ADMIRAL OF THE HOME FLEETS + + + + +FOREWORD + + +In trying to chronicle the events in Admiral Sir John Jellicoe's life +one is faced with many difficulties, the greatest of which is that +hitherto his most important battles have been fought on land, behind +closed doors and, as far as the public is concerned, in the dark. + +Although Sir John Jellicoe has seen active service in Egypt and in +China, has sailed his ships on many seas and gone down into the Valley +of the Shadow on no fewer than three occasions, he has nevertheless +managed to give valuable years to the Admiralty on shore; and it was +during the periods when he became successively Assistant Director of +Naval Ordnance, Naval Assistant to the Controller of Navy, Director of +Naval Ordnance and Controller of the Navy that his most valuable work +was done. + +Another important position behind the scenes which he filled was that +of Superintendent of the building of ships of war in private as well +as in Royal Dockyards. + +The object of this little book is better to acquaint the general +public with the man who stands with his hand at the helm of the Ship +of England's destiny, the ship in which we must all sink or swim. +Never since the days of Nelson has such a responsibility been vested +in one man. Never in the history, not only of our Empire, but of the +world, has the issue of the fight for sea power and supremacy been so +vital, so tremendous. + +What our ships and sailors have accomplished in the past gives us hope +for the future, and courage to wait in the silence of the long night +that now hides England and her defenders from one another. + +But above all we are confident, because we have faith in the man who +was sent us with the hour; the man on whom the cloak of the Emir of +the Sea--"Emir-al-Bahr"--has fallen. + +That this brief sketch of the Sea Lord and his career is altogether +unworthy of him I am quite aware. My apology for offering it to the +public must be that it is the first attempt to give any coherent +account of his life that has been made. A life, as I have already +pointed out, which has been lived behind the scenes, devoted to duty, +careless of opinion, fearful of applause. + +For the details of his career and a brief outline of the work he has +done I am indebted to his wife, Lady Jellicoe, who most kindly placed +at my disposal the few chronicles she possessed of his services, and +gave me all the help she could in my task even to the extent of +reading the MSS. of the volume before it was set up in type. + A. A. + + + + +ADMIRAL JELLICOE + + + + +CHAPTER I + +THE BOY--AND THE MAN + + +If Admiral Sir John Jellicoe had been born in 1858 instead of a year +later, he would have first opened his eyes on this now sorely troubled +world on the Centenary of Nelson's natal day. + +But the gods timed his arrival exactly one hundred and one years +later, and it was on the cold and blustering dawn of December the 5th, +1859, that Captain John H. Jellicoe was informed of the happy event. +How happy for the Empire, as well as for himself and his wife, the +gallant Captain little dreamed at the time. + +Southampton was Jellicoe's birthplace, and he came of the race that +the sea breeds. His father, who only died in the autumn of 1914 at the +age of ninety, was Commodore of the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company +until he retired from active service at the age of seventy +years--still a young man. He then became a director of the Company and +took an active part in its affairs almost until the day of his death. + +Though as British as the seas which christened the Admiral of the +Fleet and the Guardian of our Empire, Sir John Jellicoe's name is +derived from the French, and it is probable that the family originally +was of French extraction:--"Admiral Sir John Jellicoe serait, parâite +il d'origine française, et descendrait d'une famille protestante +emigrée à la Révocation de l'édit de Nantes, et son Nom indiquerait son +origine. Jellicoe serait une sorte de contraction de Angélycois, nom +des habitants de St. Jean d'Angely." + +Gentilcorps--anglicized Noblebody--would be the modern French +equivalent. There is an English surname somewhat similar, +"Handsomebody," a name that was found on the Honours List some five or +six years ago. Jellicorse is another form of Sir John's name, and it +is doubtless from this that one of the nicknames has been derived +which is popular among the men of the Fleet--Jellymould. + +Admiral Patton, Second Sea Lord at the time of the Battle of +Trafalgar, was Jellicoe's great grandfather; it is something of a +coincidence that at the outbreak of the present World-War Admiral +Jellicoe was also Second Sea Lord. Jellicoe's youngest daughter is +called Prudence Patton, and Prudence Patton served King Charles II. +faithfully in the troubles and wars that filled that unfortunate +monarch's reign. + +Like all popular men in the Service--with the sole exception of +Admiral May, who, though loved and respected by everyone, has, like +the Springtime, been always "May"--Sir John can boast a multitude of +nicknames. + +"Jacky-Oh!" "Hell Fire Jack!" (owing to the revolution he made in +Naval gunnery), "All-Jelly" (reminiscent of Epsom Race Course on Derby +Day, but again due probably to the deadly effect of his ship's +gunnery), "The Little Admiral" (this in polite society), "Silent Jack" +and "Dreadnought Jack." + +Jellicoe, as everyone connected with the Navy knows, was a +Dreadnought man, and one of Lord Fisher's most enthusiastic pupils. + +The nickname most in favour in the "forecastle" for Sir John is Hell +Fire Jack, yet there is nothing of the fire-eating commander or the +bold buccaneer in Admiral Jellicoe's personal appearance. He was +always a little boy--his mother and father's "little boy," without a +doubt--and, physically, he is a little man. Nelson might have been +able to give him half an inch in height. And it is worth remembering +that the majority of great leaders of men have been small of stature, +from Julius Cæsar to Napoleon, Domville, Sir John French or the late +great little Lord Roberts. + +Marat was insignificant to look at, and the Kaiser, in his socks, +hardly suggests the leader of the Race of Nietzsche's Great Blonde +Beasts. + +Not only does Jellicoe lack inches, but Nature built him on the lean, +light pattern, yet hard as well-tempered steel. He possesses a vast +amount of vitality and reserve force. + +Time has given his bright, piercing eyes shrewdness and kindliness; +they are the eyes of a man who, while he is willing to give all, +demands all--or nothing--from those who serve. His nose is long and +adventurous rather than Napoleonic. + +Quiet as a boy, he has less to say as a man when he is at work. But +among his intimate friends he has the reputation of a brilliant +conversationalist and a wit, and when Jellicoe speaks those about him +listen. At sea he has not the usual flow of highly-coloured language +generally associated with those who go down to the sea in ships. A +small vocabulary has always sufficed him. His mouth is remarkable; the +thin, lightly-compressed lips suggest determination and severity; but +they turn up at the corners in a curious way, and one feels +instinctively that the disciplinarian has a delicious sense of humour. + +Sir John has an elder brother, who is in the Church; beyond a general +family likeness there seems little resemblance between the two men. It +is enough that the life of each has been given to the services of his +God and his Country. + +Jellicoe's sister, on the other hand, bears a quite remarkable +likeness to the "Little Admiral." The same keen, flashing eyes, +adventurous nose and firm mouth--a trifle more tender of course, but +with the same delightful suggestion of fun lurking at the corners. + +One day, not so very long ago, Miss Jellicoe and a friend had stopped +at a street corner to watch a pavement artist at work. He had just +completed a picture of the Kaiser, a not too flattering one, and he +was busy on the outlines of another picture. + +As the portrait progressed beneath his chalky fingers the man +occasionally sat upright and surveyed his work and gave a sly chuckle. + +A minute or two later the "Little Admiral's" sister--who is as modest +and retiring as her brother--started and gave a cry of embarrassment. +A small boy, also watching the work of the pavement artist, had nudged +her: + +"He's a drawing of yer picture, Miss!" + +And so apparently he was. There, in bold chalky outlines, were the +adventurous nose, the bright eyes, the humorous mouth. + +Miss Jellicoe tried to escape through the gathering crowd. + +"'er portrait," shouted the artist in disgusted tones. "Not likely! +Carn't you recognize Hell Fire Jack, you idjit--him as is going ter +give the Road 'Og here a early mornin' dip in the North Sea!" + +If he had glanced at Miss Jellicoe he might have received a shock--and +been able to congratulate himself on the cleverness of his portrait. + +But she fled. + +In Sir John Jellicoe one realizes a man, something infinitely greater +than the human machine beloved of the Prussian Military Caste. A man, +human and humane; devoid of fear, with an unbreakable will. Those +gentle eyes can flame and the quiet voice thrill when a command is +issued, though he seldom raises it above the ordinary conversational +tone. + +Probably no one really knows Admiral Jellicoe but his men. And the +Navy likes to keep her heroes to herself. She does not talk about +them: they are one of her secrets. She kept Nelson to herself, and no +one talked about him--beyond the quarter deck or outside the +forecastle--until after his death. Then the sea gave up her secret and +entrusted the memory of one of England's greatest heroes to her +keeping. + +And to-day the sea has given us Jellicoe. Just in time--lest we +forget. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +EARLY DAYS ON THE "BRITANNIA" + + +Jellicoe commenced his education at a small school at Rottingdean. +near Brighton, and though he was considered a bright little lad, he +did not attract any more attention than the other boys. In +holiday-time he loved nothing better than to be left alone in the +company of his father and to hear from him the wonders of the Deep, +and tales of the distant lands of Romance and Mystery which he had +visited. + +One can picture the big bronzed sailor and his little son walking +about the lovely Isle of Wight watching the coming and going of the +ships, and sniffing the salt of the breeze that flung the savour and +thrill of unconquerable oceans against the shores of her faithful +lover England; Little Jellicoe eagerly questioning Big Jellicoe; and +Big Jellicoe recounting inexhaustible yarns and seaman's tales that +would have delighted the heart of and inspired Stevenson himself. + +It was thus, on the shores of the Isle of Wight, and on the quays and +docks of Southampton, in communion with his father and the sea, that +the seeds of adventure and patriotism were first sown in Jellicoe's +heart--destined to flourish into such a rich harvest for his country. + +There is a little story told of Master Jack soon after he learned to +toddle which shows that his character was forming even at that early +age. + +"Jacky" had a habit of running ahead of his nurse and suddenly darting +across the road. The spirit of adventure; probably he was ambitious to +be a boy scout. Eventually, finding that warnings were not heeded, the +nurse told him that when she saw a policeman she would ask the +Representative of Law and Order to take him away and put him in +prison. + +Presently a policeman appeared on the horizon of the pavement. + +"Now, Master Jacky, you'd better behave yourself!" the nurse whispered +warningly. + +But young Jellicoe was not the least afraid of the man in blue. He +advanced to meet him and solemnly looked him up and down. + +"Nurse says you're to take me in charge," he announced. + +The constable, taken aback, smiled and asked the nature of the +"Charge." + +"Disobeying orders," was Master Jack's reply. "And I say, policeman, +what ripping buttons you've got on your uniform!" + +Jellicoe never knew fear or favour. But evidently as a youngster he +realized the meaning of discipline and order. + +In telling this little incident the nurse is reported to have said +that Master Jacky was extremely disgusted when the policeman refused +to take him away and lock him up. + +Maybe he thought that the policeman ought to have been reported for +not doing his duty. + +At twelve years of age young Jellicoe left the Rottingdean school, and +it was then that Captain Jellicoe decided his boy should have his +chance in the Royal Navy, instead of following in his footsteps and +entering the Mercantile Marine. + +So he went up for his preliminary examination and passed into the old +Training Ship _Britannia_ with flying colours. From this moment there +was no stopping young Jellicoe. As an Instructor tersely remarked, "He +was a holy terror"--but not in the sense which that expression is +generally meant to convey. + +He was just as quiet and well-disciplined a boy as he has been since +he grew to manhood's estate. But he was "a holy terror" for work. + +Any sort of work. + +To whatever he put his hand--or his mind--he accomplished. At this +period he is described by one who knew him as being short, thin but +wiry, rather pale, with large determined mouth and nose, and a pair of +extraordinarily bright eyes. + +In spite of his aptitude for mental work (the first year or two on the +_Britannia_ is taken up with as much "book learning" as "boat +learning"), there was nothing of the bookworm about young Jellicoe, +and the most fierce youthful opponent of "swotting" could never have +accused him of priggishness. + +He was just born with a desire for knowledge and an aptitude for +obtaining it without apparent effort. + +At the same time he was as keen as any other boy on games. In spite of +his diminutive inches he was useful with the gloves; he could swim +like a fish; he was a good all-round cricketer, and a very deadly +left-hand bowler. He is still a splendid "oar," a first-class rifle +shot, and on a grouse moor he lets very few birds "get away." + +His great game, however, turned out to be racquets, and even to-day it +would be difficult to find a man to equal him on the courts. At tennis +he is almost equally good, and he can give points to the average +amateur. It was during a game of tennis at home one day that Jellicoe +showed his delightful sense of humour and love of fun, peculiar to +sailor-men, proving the truth of the old saying that the greatest men +can also be the greatest children. + +Just as a "set" had been finished sounds of a fierce quarrel came from +the other side of the shrubbery. Strange oaths rent the air. Obviously +tramps fighting over their ill-gotten gains! Sir John immediately +disappeared to reconnoitre with one or two friends. They were absent a +long time, and just as Lady Jellicoe was beginning to feel anxious, +her husband appeared, limping, supported by one of his guests, his +head and face swathed in bandages. + +The tramps had evidently shown fight, and a terrific encounter had +taken place. Sir John was overwhelmed with sympathy for his wounds and +congratulations for his victory. For quite a long time Jellicoe kept +up the illusion that he had been "in action." + +As a matter of fact, the tramps had bolted without giving the Little +Admiral even a sight of their heels. + +Not so very long after this Jellicoe himself was fooling the "Blue," +or defending fleet during Naval manoeuvres by disguising his ships +as (sea-going) "tramps" and succeeded in eluding their vigilance and +raiding an English port! + +Probably Sir John learnt a few of his "tricks" during those early days +on the _Britannia_. + +The _Britannia_, with her sister ship the _Hindustani_, are no longer +used as Training Ships for the Royal Navy, and though the fine modern +College on the hill overlooking the River Dart is doubtless healthier +and more suitable in many ways, there was a glamour about the famous +old Boat that a College can never possess. + +Jellicoe was fortunate, therefore, in receiving his training on the +seasoned oak timbers of a gallant ship in the midst of the waters, +instead of in the modern nicely-arranged and hygienic edifice on +shore, which was built a few years ago, and which took the place of +the ancient Man-o'-War. + +Always ready for work or play, he excelled at both, and was popular +with everyone. From the very outset of his career he was "marked" as a +boy who would achieve something great in the future. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +CADET--MIDSHIPMAN--LIEUTENANT + + +Jellicoe's life on H.M.S. _Britannia_ was an interesting and varied +one. Probably he looks back on the years spent in what has been aptly +called "The Cradle of our Sea Kings" as the best years of his life. He +joined at a very interesting period, too, just when the +Franco-Prussian War was raging most fiercely. + +For a healthy lad life on the _Britannia_ must have been an ideal +existence. Of course there were hardships, doubtless greater ones +forty years ago than there are now. Hardships find out the weak spots +in humanity--mental as well as physical. Hardships make men. + +Discipline is strict in the Navy, stricter than in the sister Service, +but it is of a different kind. Sailors see life from a quite different +standpoint from that from which soldiers look at it. In the old days +there was a great deal of brutality in the Navy, but with it, at the +same time, a great comradeship--a deep understanding of human nature. +To-day brutality has practically disappeared, but the deep +understanding of human nature remains, and with it brotherly love. + +A sailor's ship becomes his home, and happy as was young Jellicoe in +his father's house in Southampton, his heart was soon centred in the +_Britannia_ and the ever-varying round of work and play which used to +keep the cadets busy from morning to night. + +Captain W. Graham was in command of the _Britannia_ during the greater +part of the period Jellicoe served his apprenticeship to the sea--from +1874 to 1877. + +Turning-out at sunrise and turning-in soon after sunset; parade, swim, +drill, preparation; classes, ranging from Latin to Algebra, from +gunnery to rope-splicing--this is a rough idea of a day on the +training ship in the early 'eighties. + +An old musty boat may not have been the healthiest place for a growing +boy from a fond mother's and a modern physician's point of view, but +the breeze which swept up the silvery Dart from the English Channel +and whistled through her rigging and portholes was stimulating and +life-giving. + +The _Britannia_ still lies at her old moorings, between the little +village of Dittisham and Dartmouth town, with Kingswear, the terminus +of the Great Western Railway, on the left. The Dart is one of the most +beautiful and romantic of English rivers. It rises only about a score +of miles away from Dartmouth, right on the moorland, in a wilderness +of gorse and heather. + +It rushes through the granite-strewn valleys, past the glorious wooded +banks of Holne Chase, roaring and tumbling until it reaches Totnes. +Here its wild course is stopped with startling abruptness; from a +foaming shallow trout stream it is turned into a stately river--broad, +deep and calm. But the waters still carry the colour of the peat and +the scent of the heather; the hills still rise from the mossy banks +carpeted with daffodils and primroses in spring. And right down to the +sea itself, thatch-roofed cottages, stately houses and ruined castles +peer through the foliage. + +Dartmouth is noted for three things--its cockles and plums from +Dittisham, its orchards and its annual Regatta, which in Jellicoe's +day was famous throughout the world. + +The author has it from the best authority that young Jellicoe joined +in some of the successful raids on the aforesaid orchards, that he +tasted and approved of Dittisham plums and cockles, and it is more +than likely that he attended the Regatta, which, from a boy's point of +view, as well as that of many grown-ups, was most attractive as a +Fair. + +At the end of Jack Jellicoe's first year on the _Britannia_ he showed +his instructor and his fellow-cadets the kind of stuff of which he was +made. He was quiet, unassuming, yet always ready for work, and equally +ready to take his place in the cricket eleven, or to put in a little +practice in the field between the goal-posts. When he came out at the +head of his rivals in the examinations, and got first for every +examination that it was possible for him to pass, he must have +occasioned no inconsiderable surprise. + +Next year much the same thing happened, though, at the same time, +Jellicoe began to develop a _penchant_ for left-hand bowling. He was +useful with an oar, too. On the _Britannia_ every kind of game was +encouraged among the cadets. Of course swimming, shooting, rowing, +sculling and the "gym" came under part of the curriculum. A cadet need +not play cricket or football, but he would probably have a bad time if +he did not. If he wished, he got his chance at tennis and racquets and +bowls; athletic sports were, of course, held regularly. + +Besides the time-honoured paper chase, the _Britannia_ had a pack of +beagles, of which the lieutenant was generally master; the pack is +still in existence to-day. The hounds met, during the season, once or +twice a week, hunting the hillsides, and along the open country from +the cliffs beyond Kingswear, inland, for several miles. Only the +master is mounted, and sometimes he dispenses with his horse; everyone +else is on foot, and, as a cadet remarked, "You have to be pretty +nippy if you want to be in at the death." + +Amidst such surroundings, on one of the oldest ships belonging to His +Majesty on the bosom of England's most beautiful river, John Rushton +Jellicoe's character was developed. At the age of thirteen he found +himself afloat--and he has kept afloat ever since. His ship has in +very truth been his home, for he has always been actively engaged, +and never known--perhaps never wanted--a real rest or a proper +holiday. + +Of course Jellicoe passed out of the _Britannia_ just as he had passed +into her--first of his year by over a hundred marks. During the period +he was on board as midshipman he took nearly all the prizes--though he +was only allowed to keep a selection. But the future Admiral of the +Fleet was not after prizes. He possessed what an old boatswain aptly +described as _a hungry brain_. It is rather surprising that he never +suffered from mental dyspepsia, since in his desire for knowledge he +was absolutely avaricious. In his examination as sub-lieutenant a few +years later, he took no fewer than three "firsts." + +It was not very long before Jellicoe saw active service. He was +appointed to H.M.S. _Agincourt_ in 1881, and was present at the +bombardment of Alexandria. This was in July of 1882, just after the +attacks made on the Europeans in Alexandria, for which Ahmed Arabi was +held responsible. Arabi was then Prime Minister and leader of the +Rebellion against the English. It was he who had heavy guns mounted +on the forts and ordered earthworks to be thrown up for their +protection. + +It is interesting to remember that Kitchener was in Egypt at this +time, on furlough. He, of course, saw that a conflict was inevitable; +and when the great exodus of foreigners from the town took place he +remained behind. + +But his furlough expired and he was due to return home. He applied for +an extension, and obtained it. Meanwhile, the British battleships +waited outside beyond the harbour, among them the _Agincourt_, with +young Jellicoe on board. Arabi continued to strengthen the defences of +Alexandria and to pour troops into the town. + +On July the 10th Arabi received the British Ultimatum; the guns of the +Fleet were trained on the fortifications, and steamers crowded with +people crept out of the harbour, Kitchener on one of them. A few hours +later the first shot was fired by one of the English boats--and +Jellicoe received his baptism of fire. + +The enemy's guns were soon silenced, and Arabi withdrew his forces +inland. But a terrible massacre took place in Alexandria; houses were +pillaged and burnt. Eventually a force of bluejackets and Marines was +landed from the Fleet and order was restored. + +Of course Arabi and his followers retreated. It was realized a big +force would be required to suppress him, and an expedition was fitted +out under the command of Sir Garnet Wolseley, and Kitchener (whose +extension of furlough had again expired, and who ought to have +returned to England) got his chance. + +So it happened that thus early in their careers the two men, +Lieutenant Kitchener, R.E., and Lieutenant Jellicoe, R.N., in whose +hands, jointly, now rests the safety of the British Empire and the +welfare of the world, saw War for the first time and fought for the +first time together. + +For Jellicoe, after taking part in the bombardment of Alexandria, was +fortunate enough to accompany the Naval Brigade which was landed and +marched with Wolseley's troops on Cairo, and fought at Tel-el-Kebir, +where Arabi had strongly entrenched his men. + +The odds against the British forces were about two to one, but early +in September a decisive victory was gained by us, and Arabi's army +routed. For his share in this action Lieutenant Jellicoe was awarded +the Egyptian Medal and the Khedive's Bronze Star. + +It is not recorded whether Jellicoe and Kitchener ever met on the +battlefield, or, if they did, whether they ever spoke. For then, as +now, both were men of few words. + +"He is great," Colonel Taylor said afterwards of Kitchener, "and he is +clever." + +"He don't waste words," was a bluejacket's criticism of Jellicoe, "but +when he does speak, he hits the mark every time." + +Kitchener remained in Egypt--where he was fated to accomplish the +first portion of his life's work for the Empire. Jellicoe returned to +England, and we next hear of him at the Royal Naval College at +Greenwich, where he showed that his "mental appetite" was far from +satiated. He won the £80 special prize for Gunnery Lieutenants; this +was a significant moment in his career. As the world knows, British +Naval Gunnery is unrivalled. It was Jellicoe who helped to place it in +the enviable position it now holds. + +After leaving Greenwich, Jellicoe served on H.M.S. _Monarch_. It was +in May, 1886, while still a lieutenant on this ship, that he nearly +lost his life. Sir John Jellicoe has had three very narrow escapes, +and this was the first. + +The _Monarch_, which had been lying off Gibraltar, went out for target +practice. A stiff breeze was blowing and dirty weather was +experienced. Soon a heavy sea got up, and presently the _Monarch_ +sighted a ship in difficulties; she turned out to be a cargo steamer +from Glasgow, the _Ettrickdale_, and was fast on the rocks, with the +waves breaking over her and threatening to knock her to pieces. The +_Monarch_ had only taken one cutter out with her, her smallest; but +her Commander asked for volunteers to man it, so that an attempt +should be made to rescue the crew of the shipwrecked boat. + +There did not seem to be much chance of the small cutter living in +such an angry sea; but this was the kind of job which appealed to +Lieutenant Jellicoe, who was one of the first to volunteer, and he was +given command of the crew. + +With seven seamen he started on his desperate--almost +hopeless--enterprise. Though the cutter was splendidly managed, she +capsized before the _Ettrickdale_ could be reached, and Jellicoe was +struggling with his men in the boiling waters. + +Marvellous to relate, not a life was lost. More dead than alive, they +all managed to reach the shore. For this attempt at saving life +Jellicoe received a medal. It was given him by the Board of Trade. But +he was not allowed to keep it very long, for he lost it when, in 1887, +he went down with the _Victoria_. Fortunately for England and her +Empire, Jellicoe came up again--but his silver medal did not. + +Presumably the Board of Trade must have heard of the terrible accident +which cost England so many valuable lives and horrified the whole +world; but the officials did not offer to replace Jellicoe's lost +medal, and when he wrote and asked if they could obligingly supply him +with a duplicate, he received a formal reply that he could have one if +he chose to pay for it. + +Up to the present we believe that he has not "paid," and so probably +he is without the silver medal he first won for gallantry. Perhaps +the Board of Trade is still debating whether it would be justified in +going to the expense of providing the Admiral of the British Fleet +with another. + +Mrs. Jellicoe, Sir John's mother, possesses an interesting little +souvenir in the telegram which Jellicoe sent after he had been +rescued, announcing that he was safe-- + + "_Quite safe terrible affair love Jack_." + +This simple message naturally brought great joy and relief to his +father's and mother's hearts. And now the Nation confidently awaits, +with Sir John Jellicoe's family, the receipt at any moment of another +telegram almost similarly worded-- + + "_Quite safe splendid affair love Jack!_" + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +THE SINKING OF THE "VICTORIA" + + +For a short time Jellicoe served as Gunnery-Lieutenant on the +_Colossus_, and then he was appointed Junior Staff Officer of the +_Excellent_ gunnery establishment, under the command of Lord +Fisher--then Captain. + +This meeting between the two men was fortunate for the Junior Officer. +Fisher at once marked down Jellicoe as useful, and so, a few years +later, when he was Director of Naval Ordnance at the Admiralty, it +came to pass that Jellicoe joined Fisher there as his Assistant. + +It was just subsequent to this appointment when Jellicoe was, we +believe, serving as first lieutenant on board the _Sans Pareil_, that +the German Emperor during the Naval Review put in an appearance with +the powerful vessels of his new and comparatively small Navy. Needless +to say, both the Kaiser and his officers, together with their ships, +were of the greatest interest to our men. + +When the Review was over numerous were the discussions and fierce the +arguments which centred around William the Second and his little +fleet. Everyone present from Junior to Senior had something to say, +some criticism to make. + +Everyone except Lieutenant John Jellicoe. He kept his mouth shut and +his eyes open, and he expressed no opinion either on the Kaiser, his +officers or his ships. + +Jellicoe only spent about three years at the Admiralty as Fisher's +assistant, but it was quite enough for the authorities to realize that +he was an efficient and clever officer--a man who knew how to +organize. Captain Fisher found his services invaluable, and as an +"assistant" Jellicoe served him faithfully. + +Jellicoe would probably be the first to admit that during the +comparatively short time he spent at the Admiralty under Fisher he +accumulated a vast amount of knowledge. A friendship sprung up between +the two men, born of respect. Both were enthusiasts; both loved the +Service keenly. Both were ambitious--not for themselves. Neither +sought personal aggrandizement. Their ambitions were noble. It was +natural that both, later on, should meet with opposition. It was +inevitable that the opposition should be overcome. + +A greater contrast than the two men make--the "Little Admiral" and the +"Big Admiral"--it would be difficult to find. Physically, Fisher is of +the bulldog breed beloved of the public. The moment he enters a room +you are conscious of his presence. "Jacky" Fisher exudes vitality; it +surrounds him as a perfume surrounds a pretty woman. He carries it +about with him. His figure is robust; he stands with feet wide apart +and firmly planted. He is very straight up and down; his face is +nearly the colour of mahogany; a large mouth, almost brutal until he +smiles, when it becomes a veritable cavern of humour, and aggressive +eyes that nevertheless shine and almost sparkle beneath big bushy +brows; his hair is silver grey; his hands are titanic and generally +hang loosely by his side, suggestive, and ready for action. + +Physically, the difference between the two men is the difference +between a small smooth-haired terrier and one of Major Richardson's +Irish police dogs. Mentally, there is not much difference, and events +have proved that both possess the same instincts. + +One is the Dreadnought instinct; another, the faith that in action you +must "hit quickly, hit hard, and keep on hitting." A third instinct +might be called the instinct of Silence. They have never attempted to +emulate Lord Charles Beresford or Sir Edward Carson in discharging +fierce literary broadsides. + +Jellicoe was gazetted a Commander in 1891; after leaving the _Sans +Pareil_ he was appointed to the _Victoria_, then one of our largest +battleships, sister ship (though of later date) to the _Camperdown_. +It was while he was her Commander that the accident happened during +manoeuvres off Tripoli, on the Syrian Coast. + +This was his second marvellous escape from death; all the more +remarkable since Jellicoe was on the sick list, confined to his cabin +with a sharp attack of Malta fever. The ship went down twenty minutes +after she was struck, and twenty-two officers and three hundred and +fifty men were drowned. + +This was the most terrible disaster that has happened to the British +Fleet in times of peace since the _Royal George_ foundered one night, +close to shore, and disappeared beneath the waves with her entire +crew, including the brave Kempenfeldt. + +The _Victoria_ was the flagship of Vice-Admiral Sir George Tryon, +Commander of the Mediterranean Fleet. The ships left Beyrout early in +the morning of June the 22nd, 1893; they steamed in line abreast to +the Syrian Coast, when the order was given to change their formation +into two columns, line ahead, with an interval of six cables. The +starboard column was headed by the _Victoria_ under Tryon, and the +port column by the _Camperdown_ under Rear-Admiral Markham. + +Tryon's flag-lieutenant was Lord Gillford, and it was he who received +the fatal order to signal to the two divisions to turn sixteen points +inwards, the leading ships first, the others of course following in +succession. + +The smallest circle in which either the _Victoria_ or the _Camperdown_ +could turn was six hundred yards--about three cables length--and +therefore if Tryon's orders were obeyed a collision would be +inevitable between the two ships. + +Both Lord Gillford and the Admiral's Staff-Commander must have +realized this: every seaman on board the Fleet, when eventually the +signal fluttered in the wind, knew what would happen. + +The position must have been a terrible one for those on the bridge of +the _Camperdown_, as well as the _Victoria_; for, not theirs to +question but to obey. + +But Staff-Commander Hawkins-Smith dared remind Tryon that they could +not possibly turn in less than eight cables length. + +Admiral Tryon agreed, but what was the Staff-Commander's surprise a +minute or two later to see the original signal "six cables length" go +up. He spoke to Lord Gillford and advised him to again call Admiral +Tryon's attention to the impossibility of the manoeuvre being +successfully carried out. + +This Gillford did: "You said it was to be more than six cables' +length, Sir." + +"Did I? Well, leave it at six cables," Tryon replied, and turning +round he entered into conversation with Captain Bourke. + +One cannot help wondering what would have happened if Jellicoe had +been present, instead of confined below with fever. Presumably, he +could have done no more than Gillford and Hawkins-Smith; the +_Victoria_ would have been lost just the same. + +When the signal was read on the _Camperdown_ Admiral Markham was +puzzled and therefore he refrained from replying, thereby indicating +that he did not understand his instructions. + +The fleet steamed ahead in two columns line. + +Tryon grew impatient and signalled to the _Camperdown_--"What are you +waiting for?" + +Markham had now no option but to obey. Perhaps he hoped that Admiral +Tryon had some scheme for manoeuvring his own ship. + +The signal was obeyed. The leading ships of the two columns turned +sixteen points inwards. + +The men of the Fleet watched; amazed and horrified. + +A minute passed. There was still time to change the signal. Two +minutes passed, three. To those waiting and watching the minutes must +have seemed an eternity. + +Before the fourth minute had expired the _Camperdown_ rammed the +_Victoria_ on her starboard bow. When the great ships parted there +was a big gash visible in the _Victoria_ through which the sea poured. +At once the boat began to list. But there was no panic. Jellicoe's +servant hurried below and warned the Commander that the _Victoria_ was +sinking. Jellicoe got up and went on deck. The order had already been +given to pipe all hands. There was no rush or hurry. In the engine +rooms the stokers remained at their posts, the artificer and +engineers. It was the same in the boiler rooms. + +Above, on deck, the men lined up, calm and quiet. But the _Victoria_ +was heeling over; sinking fast. Jellicoe, clad in pyjamas, had +clambered on to the bridge, and accompanied by two junior officers, +attempted to signal to the _Camperdown_. + +It was too late. The _Victoria_ lurched, turned on her side and poured +her living freight into the Mediterranean. Those on the upper deck +jumped or were flung into the waters. There were many still below, and +as the ironclad sank they could be seen clambering through the port +holes and sliding down the ship's side. The majority were caught like +rats in a trap. + +Several of those who escaped from her were struck by the propellers, +still racing madly. Others were sucked below when she finally sank and +disappeared. + +As she sank the _Victoria_ turned right over and went down bottom +upwards. Hardly had she disappeared from sight when there came a +terrific explosion and a mighty mass of water was thrown high into the +air. + +Many of the men who had risen to the surface and were swimming about, +were swept away and drowned in this waterspout. + +Jellicoe, who had been flung from the bridge when the boat commenced +to turn turtle, escaped the explosion--probably caused by the bursting +of the boilers. + +He was a sick man with a temperature over 100°. He swam as long as he +could, but weakened by fever he was in danger of collapsing, when +Midshipman West came to his rescue and supported him. + +Very probably, but for young West, Jellicoe would have gone under. The +nation owes him a debt to-day. Eventually they were both picked up by +one of the boats sent from the Fleet. + +The _Camperdown_ herself was in a bad way; her bows were crumpled up, +and for a little while it looked as though she would sink too, and +follow her sister-ship to the bottom of the Mediterranean. But thanks +to the celerity with which the water-tight doors were closed and the +collision-mats got out, she was saved; the crew were kept working +right through the night to keep her afloat. + +There were numerous instances of courage and devotion besides that +quoted of Jellicoe, who, before going on deck, went below to warn and +hurry up any men he might find there. One of the boatswains continued +semaphoring until he was washed off his feet. Admiral Tryon refused to +try and save himself though implored to do so by his coxswain. The +last words he is reported to have said were addressed to a midshipman: + +"Don't stop here, youngster; get to a boat." + +He might have got to that boat himself, but he went down with his +ship. + +At the court martial Captain Bourke was exonerated from all blame, and +the finding of the Court was that the collision had been caused by +Admiral Tryon's order. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +THE BOXER RISING IN CHINA + + +After the loss of the _Victoria_ Jellicoe served as Commander on +H.M.S. _Ramillies_, flagship in the Mediterranean. + +Early in January, 1897, he joined the Ordnance Committee, and received +his promotion, attaining the rank of Captain. + +But valuable as his services were now, as they had been when assistant +to Fisher, he was again not allowed to remain at the Admiralty for +long. Admiral Sir C. H. Seymour chose him as Flag Captain on the +_Centurion_. It is hardly necessary to point out that the _Centurion_ +of 1898 is no longer on the active list, if indeed she exists at all. +H.M.S. _Centurion_, now "watching and waiting" somewhere in the North +Sea, was built in 1912, and belongs to the King George V. Class; she +has a displacement of 25,000 tons, and a speed of 21-1/2 knots. + +The old _Centurion_ was a very different class of boat. She was on the +China Station, and when the Boxer Rising occurred in 1900--just as +we hoped we were finishing our work in South Africa under +Kitchener--Jellicoe found himself in the firing line again. + +The Boxers were the moving spirit in a vast organization which had for +its object the extermination of Christian Missionaries and the +aggressive commercial white men who followed in their train. + +"China for the Chinese" might be translated as their popular war cry. +The Dowager Empress of China was, if not at the head of the movement, +certainly at the back of it, in spite of her protestations to the +contrary. + +The Chinese are the most conservative people in the world. They love +and respect the traditions of their race as they love and respect +their Ancestors. The "foreign" missionaries, railway concessionaries, +mining agents and other outriders of modern civilization threatened to +destroy and outrage their cherished ideas and institutions. They did +not particularly object to the British; the Englishman--when he did +not try to convert them--was the least hated of the foreign devils. + +Americans, French, Russians, Germans, were all hated and feared. + +The Boxers decreed that they would have to go. The rebellion started +quietly enough, but once having started it spread with alarming +rapidity until Europe saw itself face to face with the Yellow Peril. +China threatened to over-run the Western Continent. + +Proclamations were issued by the Boxers in all the towns and villages +of the great Empire and appeared on the walls of Pekin itself. + +"The voice of the great God of the Unseen World-- + +"Disturbances are to be dreaded from the foreign devils; everywhere +they are starting missions, erecting telegraphs, and building +railways; they do not believe in the sacred doctrine, and they speak +evil of the gods. Their sins are numberless as the hairs of the head. +Therefore am I wroth, and my thunders have pealed forth.... The will +of Heaven is that the telegraph wires be first cut, then the railways +torn up, and then shall the foreign devils be decapitated. In that day +shall the hour of their calamities come...." + +And forthwith the Boxers arranged that disturbances should commence at +once. They commenced with pillages and robberies. The Empress launched +edicts against the rising, while secretly she encouraged it. Soon a +direct attack was made on all Christians; missionaries were tortured +and murdered. Churches set on fire and houses torn down. + +One or two Legations in Pekin were destroyed. On May the 1st the +German Minister, Baron von Kettener, was assassinated. + +This was the signal for a general rising, and all the Legations in +Pekin were besieged, the Imperial troops joining in the attack. Sir +Claude MacDonald had been assured that there was no danger whatsoever. +He was appointed commander of the Legation Quarter by the foreign +representatives, and a plucky resistance was made. + +Early in June he sent a telegram to Sir Edward Seymour, Commander of +the China Station, informing him the situation was perilous, and +warning him that unless the Legations were soon relieved a general +massacre would take place. + +Seymour acted as quickly as possible, and with a force of two +thousand men he started to the relief of Pekin. + +This little army was composed of men and guns drawn from the ships of +the eight Great Powers then in Chinese waters. Great Britain--who +provided nearly a thousand men--France, Italy, Russia, the United +States, Japan, Austria and Germany. Their combined artillery consisted +only of nineteen guns. + +Captain Jellicoe was given command of the British Naval Contingent, +and the whole force was under the command of Admiral Seymour. Mr. +Whittall, Reuter's correspondent, accompanied the column, and he gave, +in the diary which he kept, a very graphic account of the fighting of +the allied forces, their failure to relieve Pekin, their attempt to +get back to Tientsin, Jellicoe's bad luck in getting dangerously +wounded--it was feared, fatally, at the time--and the narrow escape of +the whole force from annihilation. + +"We left Laufang at dawn on June the 13th," he wrote, "and arrived at +Tientsin at 12.30 p.m. without incident. + +"We left Tientsin again at 2 a.m., but the Marines were at Yangtsun, +and the Chinese officials declined to take the responsibility of +affording protection, so we took them on with us. At Lofa we found +three trucks derailed, and so remained there all night outside 'Fort +Endymion.' We moved out from Lofa about midnight on June 14th for +headquarters, but found that they had been removed further up the +line. A party of Americans, foraging, ran across a band of 150 Boxers +and fired on them, killing six and wounding many others. The +_Aurora's_ advance party was attacked about six-and-a-half miles up +the line by a large force of the Boxers, who tried to rush them, but +the bluejackets kept them off, killing and wounding some 150. + +"Last night a courier arrived from Pekin, and said that everything was +well in the city when he left, but that many Boxers were openly +showing themselves in the city. At ten this morning a most determined +attempt was made to rush the headquarters' train by a large body of +Boxers. The small-bore rifle bullets seemed to have no effect in +stopping the rush, and the fanatics came on most gallantly. The Maxim +was got into action at the range of about fifty yards, and mowed the +enemy like grass. This was enough for them, and they fled into the +country. + +"In the afternoon an attack was made on Lofa by two thousand Boxers, +but they were driven off, with a loss of seventy-five men. Our +casualties were said to be four slightly wounded. In the evening +Johnstone returned, having raided all the villages bordering the line, +killing forty or fifty Boxers. He reports all track in a fearful +state, rails, etc., being up for miles at a stretch. The courier who +brought letters from Pekin on Tuesday returned with letters for Pekin. + +"Matters seem to be getting more serious. Report of the Japanese +having been murdered by Tung Fu-hsiang's men confirmed. Grand stand +burned, students attacked by Boxers with swords, Boxers burning +missions and foreign buildings other than Legations. Boxers cut the +throats of the wounded before running. We had two of _Endymion's_ +bluejackets wounded at Lofa, one shot through the lungs with a stone +from a small iron cannon. We took two of these guns. The Italian dead +were shockingly mutilated. One Boxer, a boy of thirteen, was brought +in wounded. + +"Up at 4 a.m. and started again for Tientsin. Found the line below +Lofa cut in four places, in one of which the embankment had been dug +out to a depth of some four feet. We received the news that the Boxers +were hard at work three miles above Yangtsun tearing up the track. At +5 a.m. saw a body numbering from 200 to 300 strong, enter a large +village to the right of the line. We afterwards foraged in another +village to the left, where we got some chickens and leeks and then set +fire to it. We had this day a guard of 120 Germans and 50 French with +us." + +The relief force had now been fighting for a week without making any +real progress. Meanwhile, the news that came from Pekin was grave in +the extreme. Several attempts were made to send messages through but +without success. + +Captain Jellicoe sent a body of marines and blue-jackets, under Major +Johnstone, to Yangtsun with the intention of opening friendly +relations with the people, and after a great deal of trouble, this was +done, and food was obtained for the hungry troops. + +But every day the situation became more serious. Owing to all the +rails having been cut the trains were held up and a night attack was +expected. For six days no news had come from Tientsin. + +Eventually the order came to abandon the trains--fifty thousand pounds +of rolling stock, and practically all the baggage--and march on +Tientsin with half rations for three days. + +This, of course, would meet with Jellicoe's approval ... hitting +quickly and hitting hard. + +A day was spent making preparations for the march. Every man of the +expedition knew it was a desperate venture, but not one was dismayed. +But Mr. Whittall, in his diary, wonders how much of the unfortunate +expedition is likely to reach Tientsin in safety. + +"Progress was," he says, "very slow at first owing to want of water +for the boats, which were constantly getting ashore. At 7.20 p.m. the +column halted and bivouacked for the night, which passed without +incident. Gunfiring in the direction of Tientsin reported to have been +heard. + +"Réveillé" sounded at 4 a.m. Column marched 6.15; Hangu, 7.30; halted +while town was searched by advance guard; 8.5, Chinese army reported +advancing; 8.25, American 3-inch opened on enemy in a copse flanking +river in line of our advance. + +"Conflicting reports as to character of enemy, some saying only +Boxers, others Imperial troops. 9.5, I went up to the firing line. +Enemy strongly posted in a village ahead. 9.0, our 9-pounders came +into action at 450 yards. Enemy retired, under the heavy shrapnel +fire, and a party of Americans went ahead to examine village. One +_Aurora_ wounded accidentally. + +"First volleys fired very heavy; when enemy found range too close to +be pleasant; 9.50, column resumed advance, two Russians wounded. +Village ahead reported full of the enemy. Our 9-pounders ordered up; +opened fire 10.31. Americans advance with French on left, our Marines +advance under cover of the river bank. 2.20, while troops resting, we +were attacked. Enemy driven off, one American dangerously wounded. + +"Column resumed its advance on both banks of the river. Three Chinese +field-guns observed moving in the direction of Peitsang. Sounds of +heavy firing in the direction of Tientsin again heard all the morning. +Natives report it is General Nieh fighting Boxers. + +"8.15, large body of cavalry seen on our left flank which were at +first taken for Russians; but a shell pitched unpleasantly near our +flanking parties from the left of the village the cavalry had just +passed, convinced us that they must be Nieh's cavalry. Our guns were +soon in action, replying to the enemy's fire, and the rattle of +musketry became general." + +It was the mistaking this large body of enemy cavalry for a relieving +force of Cossacks that nearly cost Jellicoe his life. The Chinese +Cavalry was hailed, and replied with a volley. Jellicoe rallied his +men and boldly charged them. + +He helped clear them out, but fell shot in the chest. Mr. Whittall +made the following brief entry in his diary at the time: + +"Flag-captain Jellicoe, _Centurion_, dangerously wounded in the chest; +feared mortally. Lieutenant Bamber, also of the _Centurion_, and +Midshipman Burke also both wounded. The enemy's fire throughout the +day was also terrific, and for the most part fairly well aimed." + +He pays a high compliment to Captain Jellicoe, for he says that it was +owing to the splendid way in which the British troops were handled +that the casualties were no heavier than they were. + +The response of the men was splendid, and their behaviour under a +terrific fire excellent. + +But Mr. Whittall acknowledges that "it was a shocking business." + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +THE SPIRIT OF DRAKE + + +In a recent issue of the _Pall Mall Gazette_ Mr. Whittall paints a +very good pen portrait of Captain Jellicoe at this time. + +"It was to him that I was referred for permission to accompany the +relieving force, and I can see him now as he put a few terse, direct +questions to me before granting the required permit. A man below +middle height, alert, with that in the calm, grey eyes which spoke of +decision and a serene confidence in himself, not the confidence of the +over-sure, but that of the real leader of men. A man whose features +would have been unpleasantly hard but for the lurking humour of the +eyes and for certain humorous lines about a mouth that on occasion +could take the likeness of a steel trap. A man to trust instinctively +and one to like from the beginning. Those were my first impressions of +him as he stood that June morning watching the troop trains discharge +their freights on to a dusty North China platform. Later when I came +to know him he inspired me with the same feeling of affection with +which he was regarded by every one with whom he had occasion to come +into close contact. There was, and is, the magnetism about the man +which stamps the personality of him who is indeed a commander rather +than one who commands." + +Mr. Whittall was with him after he was wounded and while the allied +forces were retiring on Tientsin. What Jellicoe must have suffered +then no one will ever know. He was first of all placed for safety in a +native house and later on moved into a small native boat. His wound +must have pained him terribly. His case was considered hopeless, as +the bullet had reached one of his lungs and recovery seemed +impossible. Moreover, he knew that now Pekin would not be relieved; +the mission had failed. + +But his superb vitality pulled him through. He would not go under. + +Mr. Whittall describes how he sent for him and asked to be told how +things were progressing. "Foolishly perhaps," says Mr. Whittall, "I +tried to make the best of affairs and said that I thought we should +cut our way back to Tientsin or even to the coast if the foreign +settlements had fallen. + +"I don't think I shall ever forget the contemptuous flash of the eyes +he turned on me, or the impatient remark: + +"'Tell me the truth. Don't lie.' + +"I had thought to lessen the anxiety I knew he must have been feeling, +but if I had known him as I learnt to do later on, I should have told +him the plain truth straight out. He thanked me and, indicating his +wounded shoulder with his eyes, remarked: + +"'Hard luck just now!'" + +Captain Jellicoe, as all the world knows, completely recovered and +has, we believe, lived to fight the battle of his life, the battle of +the world. Nevertheless the doctors told him at the time that he would +never regain the use of his left arm. + +It would have been rather remarkable if this false prophecy had come +true; it could scarcely have made any difference to his career--for +Jellicoe was _the_ man and he was bound to reach his present position +no matter the obstacles in his way--but the loss of his arm would have +added yet another remarkable point of resemblance to the hero of +Trafalgar. + +And it may not be out of place here to give a story, which is almost a +creed with many sailors and their folk in the South of England: the +story so beautifully told by Alfred Noyes in his poem "The Admiral's +Ghost." + +This is what the simple Devonshire sea folk will tell you when +Jellicoe's name is mentioned--if you have gained their confidence. +They do not talk about it to strangers; it has become a faith with +them and is sacred. + +When Drake was dying on board his ship in Nombre Dios Bay his thoughts +turned of course to England, the country he loved, had fought and died +for. He yearned to be back on the red cliffs of Devon; he wanted to +sail once again through Plymouth Sound and to be laid at rest in the +dear home waters that washed his native shores. + +He was dying far from the beloved land. There were battles yet to be +fought, victories to be won for England. She might want him again and +he would not be there to answer her call. + +So he told his men to take back his drum and to hang it upon the sea +wall, and if ever England was in danger and called, the sailors were +to strike upon his drum and he would rise from the far seas and come +back and fight for her. + +When England was threatened two hundred years after Drake's death his +drum was heard one stormy night by the fisher folk. And there are +those who will swear that a strange shadow shape was seen hovering +about the old sea wall for many a night. + +Then Nelson came to England's rescue and saved her in her hour of +need. But let Alfred Noyes tell the tale in his inspiring verse: + + "D'you guess who Nelson was? + You may laugh, but it's true as true! + There was more in that pore little chawed-up chap + Than ever his best friend knew. + + "The foe was creepin' close, + In the dark, to our white-cliffed isle; + They were ready to leap at England's throat, + When--O, you may smile, you may smile; + + "But--ask of the Devonshire men; + For they heard in the dead of night + The roll of a drum, and they saw him pass + On a ship all shining white. + + "He stretched out his dead cold face + And he sailed in the grand old way! + The fishes had taken an eye and an arm, + But he swept Trafalgar's Bay. + + "Nelson--was Francis Drake! + O, what matters the uniform, + Or the patch on your eye or your pinned-up sleeve, + If your soul's like a North Sea storm?" + +[Illustration: EARLY PORTRAITS OF SIR JOHN JELLICOE AS MIDSHIPMAN AS +LIEUTENANT] + +When the author was in Devonshire a little while after the outbreak of +the world-war he was talking to an old sailor who had seen service, +now retired at the age of nearly eighty years. He stood on the red +cliffs beyond Brixham close to the doors of his cottage straining his +eyes, still clear and bright, seaward, watching for the ships he +loved. + +The author referred to this story and the sailor's face grew grave and +he was silent for a long time. + +"The drum was beat," he whispered at last. "Drake's drum was heered to +beat a while back; our lads heered 'er, one night when they was +puttin' out from Plymouth Sound." + +He nodded his head to and fro as he took off his cap: "But I knawed +long back when I stood afore Jacky Jellicoe, close as I be standin' to +yew; I caught his eye--and I knawed it was Drake come back.... Yes, +sir; the old drum beat and he come back as he said he would----" + + "If England needs me, dead + Or living, I'll rise that day! + I'll rise from the darkness under the sea + Ten thousand miles away." + +That's what he said; and he died. + + "They lowered him down in the deep, + And there in the sunset light + They boomed a broadside over his grave, + As meanin' to say 'Good Night' + + "They sailed away in the dark + To the dear little isle they knew; + And they hung his drum by the old sea-wall + The same as he told them to." + +And now once again the drum has beaten and the spirit of Drake has +returned to England. The materialists may laugh; the superstitious may +speculate. But the sea folk on the red cliffs of Devonshire, _they +know_. + + * * * * * + +It was some months after Pekin had been relieved by the Allied forces +of twenty thousand men--the British, under Lieutenant-General Sir A. +Gaselee, being the first to enter the Legations--that Mr. Whittall met +Jellicoe on board the _Centurion_. The latter told him that he had +played cricket for the flagship on the way down and had made 124--not +out! + +His lung had healed and his left arm was as strong as his right. + +A cheeky midshipman on hearing of Captain Jellicoe's third and most +marvellous escape from death said that obviously he was born to be +hanged--or to be Commander-in-Chief of the whole British Navy. + +On his return to England Jellicoe received the C.B. for his services, +and the German Emperor decorated him with the Order of the Red Eagle +of the Second Class with crossed swords. + +Jellicoe learnt something about the fighting qualities of the German +sailor during the attempt to relieve Pekin: later on he became a +personal friend of the Emperor's, and his portrait appears in the +great picture which the Kaiser ordered to be painted of the Allied +Naval Brigades in action in China and which now hangs on the walls of +the Imperial Palace at Potsdam. + +A few months after his return from China, Captain Jellicoe married +Gwendoline Cayzer, the daughter of Sir Charles Cayzer, Bart., of +Gartmore, N.B., the chief of the Clan Steamship line. Curiously enough +one of his best friends, Rear-Admiral Madden, married Sir Charles' +other daughter. Admiral Madden is now Jellicoe's Chief-of-Staff. + +Captain Jellicoe's next appointment was to superintend the building of +war-ships. At this task his success was phenomenal. A little later he +was serving as assistant to the Controller of the Navy, and in 1903 he +was given command of the _Drake_, then one of the latest additions to +our fleet. + +She was completed in 1902; her tonnage is 14,100; she has a Krupp +armoured belt of six inches; she carries two 9·2 guns, sixteen 6-inch, +twelve 12-pounders, and three 2-pounders, besides six machine guns and +two torpedo tubes. The _Drake_ is still in commission and heads the +Drake Class of armoured cruisers. She is at present attached to the +Sixth Cruiser Squadron of the Grand Fleet. + +Under Jellicoe's command the _Drake_ became famous for her gunnery, +and when he left her she had obtained the highest efficiency in +shooting and was "top-dog" in the Navy. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +AS ORGANISER + + +In 1905 Captain Jellicoe went to the Admiralty as Director of Naval +Ordnance. Having been Fisher's assistant late in the 'eighties he knew +his department and the men connected with it. He knew better than any +other man of his age what the Navy wanted, and he evidently made up +his mind that she should have it. + +He was heart and soul a "Fisher man" and a great admirer of the +splendid work Sir Percy Scott had performed. Indeed, much of Scott's +genius might have been lost or wasted without Jellicoe's help and +enthusiasm. + +He took the part of Director of Naval Ordnance just at the right time. +One of the most important reforms for which the Service has to thank +him was fitting all guns mounted in ships of the first line with new +day and night sights, and the installation of fire-control instruments +for "spotting" and controlling at long range firing. He was also +instrumental in getting rid of all gunnery lumber, and he put his +foot down on many little tricks and dodges which had been practised in +shooting competitions. + +It was almost entirely due to him that in a period of eighteen months +the percentage of "hits" was raised from forty-two out of a hundred +rounds to an average of seventy. + +In recognition of this a knighthood was conferred upon him in 1909; +though previous to this honour he was made Controller of the Navy. + +Here, again, his knowledge of _matériel_ necessary to the Service and +his great technical ability were invaluable; his quickness, firmness +and quiet manner had a great effect on the celerity with which work +was done in private as well as in the royal dockyards. There had been +a great deal of trouble in the past with contractors owing to the +difficulty in getting plans and estimates passed quickly. + +Jellicoe soon changed this, and inspired the men under him to be +decisive and swift and thorough. Describing the work he accomplished +during his Controllership of the Navy a critic in _Engineering_ paid +Sir John high and deserved tribute, on the occasion of his leaving +the Admiralty and hoisting his flag as Vice-Admiral of the Atlantic +Fleet; this was in December, 1910. + +After pointing out that Jellicoe's tenure of office was marked by a +period of unusual naval shipbuilding activity, the author of the +article in _Engineering_ gave the number of new vessels of all classes +added to the Navy between 1907 and 1910 as ninety, including twelve +battleships and armoured cruisers, eight protected and unarmoured +cruisers, and seventy destroyers, torpedo boats and submarines. + +In addition to the numbers given, there were then about sixty ships +building, including eight battleships and armoured cruisers, seven +protected and unarmoured cruisers, and forty-five destroyers and +submarines, whilst the preliminaries to laying down were well advanced +in the case of a further twenty-two ships; these, as enumerated in the +current year's naval estimates, included five battleships and armoured +cruisers, three protected and unarmoured cruisers, and fourteen +destroyers, submarines and fleet auxiliaries. The sea-going and +fighting efficiency of all these warships was in advance of their +prototype in many important respects in _matériel_. + +Shipbuilding output has thus been well maintained in the dockyards, +and there, as in the private yards doing Admiralty work, the delay in +beginning new vessels is now at a minimum. The whole machinery of +administration in this respect has been accelerated. The period of +construction of large armoured warships remained at two years, +notwithstanding the great increase in the size and displacement of the +latest types. Admiral Jellicoe was a frequent visitor at the works of +contractors, and by this means was enabled to assist and encourage +those responsible in realizing the best results and to infuse them +with his characteristic enthusiasm for the efficiency of the Service. + +"The repairs and maintenance of the Fleet have been well looked after +by Sir John Jellicoe," wrote the critic of _Engineering_, "who has +realized throughout the importance of liberal financial provision to +enable the prompt and proper execution of repairs. The total number of +men employed (shipbuilding and repairs, etc.) in the home dockyards +has considerably increased during his period of office. Sir John, +having at one time been associated with the building of warships in +private yards, has devoted much attention to improving and extending +the resources of the dockyards for shipbuilding and repair work. A +recent important innovation in dockyard and port equipment is the +adoption of large floating-docks for Dreadnoughts and floating-cranes +to serve them, a policy which recognizes _inter alia_ the importance +of the quality of mobility in docks and cranes. The equipment of +temporary bases in time of war becomes easy of arrangement when +floating-docks and floating-cranes lie fully equipped and ready for +use and transfer. Two such docks, capable of lifting 32,000 tons--one +for Portsmouth and one for the Medway--are now under construction, +whilst contracts for two large floating-cranes, capable of lifting 100 +tons at a radius of 125 feet, and 150 tons at about 90 feet, will very +shortly be placed. + +"Sir John Jellicoe has been a strong Controller and his severance from +the Admiralty is a matter of personal regret, which is not by any +means confined to the members of the Board and the heads of +departments. No Controller has been more popular; none has commanded +greater respect as an administrator." + +It has been stated that during this period Sir John Jellicoe would +sometimes work for fifteen or sixteen hours a day, when business +pressed. He never "fussed" or gave the impression of "rush," and he +neither worried nor drove his subordinates. + +His words were few, but to the point. And he has never been known to +make a request or give an order twice. + +It was during the period Jellicoe began to carry on the good work +Fisher had started at the Admiralty that the Emperor of Germany wrote +a remarkable letter to the late Lord Tweedmouth, First Lord in 1908. +At the time it was declared by Tweedmouth to be confidential and +purely personal, but the contents have at last become more or less +public. + +This letter, in the light of latter-day events, is particularly +interesting. It was quoted for the first time by _The Morning Post_, +and it throws a strong light on the Kaiser's real character. One can +imagine the First Sea Lord of the Admiralty, Lord Fisher--whom the +German Naval Party feared so keenly--describing it in his frank +fashion as an infernal piece of bluff. + +"During my last pleasant visit to your hospitable shores," the Emperor +wrote, "I tried to make your authorities understand what the drift of +the German Naval policy is. But I am afraid that my explanations have +been misunderstood or not believed, because I see the 'German Danger' +and the 'German Challenge to British Naval Supremacy' constantly +quoted in the different articles. This phrase, if not repudiated or +corrected, sown broadcast over the country and daily dinned into +British ears, might in the end create most deplorable results. + +"It is absolutely nonsensical and untrue that the German Naval Bill is +to provide a Navy meant as a 'challenge to British Naval Supremacy.' +The German Fleet is built against nobody at all. It is solely built +for Germany's needs in relation with that country's rapidly growing +trade. + +"There is nothing surprising, secret or underhand in it, and every +reader may study the whole course mapped out for the development of +the German Navy with the greatest ease." + +After a long preamble on the subject of what England might do (from +the Kaiser's point of view) with regard to her shipbuilding programme, +the letter refers to a letter written and published by Lord Esher, in +which the Emperor accuses him of misinterpreting Germany's feelings by +alleging that "every German from the Emperor down to the last man +wished for the downfall of Sir John Fisher": + +"As far as regards German Affairs Naval," the letter continues, "the +phrase is a piece of unmitigated balderdash, and has created an +immense merriment in the circles of those 'who know' here. But I +venture to think that such things ought not to be written by people +who are high placed, as they are liable to hurt public feelings over +here. Of course, I need not assure you that nobody here dreams of +wishing to influence Britain in the choice of those to whom she means +to give the direction of her Navy, or to disturb them in the +fulfilment of their noble task.... + +"I hope your Lordship will read these lines with kind consideration. +They are written by one who is an ardent admirer of your splendid +Navy, who wishes it all success, and who hopes that its ensign may +ever wave on the same side as the German Navy, and by one who is proud +to wear the British Naval Uniform of an Admiral of the Fleet, which +was conferred on him by the late Great Queen of blessed memory. + +"Once more. The German Naval Bill is not aimed at England, and is not +a challenge to British supremacy of the sea, which will remain +unchallenged for generations to come." + +The German Emperor's "generations to come" has resolved itself into +less than six years. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +VICE-ADMIRAL + + +Sir John Jellicoe hoisted his flag as Vice-Admiral commanding the +Atlantic Fleet, in succession to His Serene Highness, Prince Louis of +Battenberg, on December 27th, 1911, and on the tenth of January, 1912, +the Fleet assembled at Dover for the first time under its new +Commander-in-Chief. + +There was a suggestion about this time that the Atlantic Fleet and the +Home Fleet were to be amalgamated. The change that had already been +made in the Atlantic Fleet in linking it to the Home Fleet for +purposes of combined training did not mean that either command was to +be absorbed in the other. The Atlantic Fleet was henceforth to be +under the command of a Junior instead of a Senior Admiral, and it +would cruise in Home waters. + +Both Fleets would have their war training together and the policy of +concentration in Home waters was thus carried out. + +How fully this policy was justified events have fully proved. The +Atlantic Fleet continued to use Gibraltar as its repairing base. + +Admiral Jellicoe's first cruise with the Fleets was to Vigo, on the +Spanish coast, where manoeuvres were carried out in conjunction with +a portion of the Mediterranean Fleet. + +These manoeuvres were carried out on a large scale. There was a +Naval Review of the Fleets, at which King Alfonso was present. +Afterwards a mimic warfare was waged, the Home Fleet, under Admiral +Sir W. H. May, representing the "Red," the Mediterranean and Atlantic +Fleets under Admiral Sir E. S. Poe and Vice-Admiral Jellicoe, +respectively, being the "Blue." + +The principal "action" took place at night, and Jellicoe manoeuvred +his ships so cleverly that they almost escaped a vastly superior +force. + +After the "battle" was over Admiral May signalled to Jellicoe that he +had put up a fine fight, and given the superior forces against him a +very hard job. + +Just at this time Sir John Jellicoe suffered a sad bereavement, losing +his little daughter, Betty, at the age of five and a half years. She +was the second child, and was born on May 21st, 1905. + +Sir John and Lady Jellicoe have four daughters, the eldest in her +ninth year. They are delightful children, and all bear a strong family +likeness to the "Little Admiral"; they possess many of their father's +characteristics, too: overwhelming good spirits and a keen sense of +humour. + +The author's first introduction to them was when he was waiting in the +hall of Sir John's town house. + +They were just going out for their morning constitutional, but as they +were about to start, the eldest suddenly discovered that "some one" +was missing who should have been present. A hurried search was +instituted. Upstairs and downstairs the young Jellicoes raced, peering +here and peering there, and continually calling for "Nanna!" + +Believing that the nurse was the object of their search, the author +told Miss Jellicoe that he had just seen her go upstairs. She shook +her head: + +"Oh, no she hasn't. She came down with me just now and I _know_ she +hasn't gone back. She does run away sometimes." + +It seemed a strange thing for a nurse to do, and while the author was +debating in his mind whether he ought not to inform Lady Jellicoe, one +of the little girls gave a cry of triumph and pointed to the sideboard +standing against the wall in a dark corner of the hall. + +"There she is. Isn't she naughty!" + +A sideboard did not seem the right place for the nurse--even the nurse +of a Naval family--to choose as a hiding place; but though the author +searched he could not see the culprit. + +Little Miss Jellicoe grew impatient: "Oh, do try and get her out!" she +begged. "Don't you see, she's crawled underneath!" + +Down on his hands and knees went the author of this book--and there, +tucked away under the sideboard, crouched the missing nurse. + +"Please pull her out, we can't go for our walk without her." + +Obediently the author seized the nurse by the scruff of the neck and +dragged her from her hiding place. + +"Nanna,"--on this occasion--was a Scotch terrier! + +Undoubtedly the Admiral's daughters have their father's sense of +humour. + +[Illustration: H.M.S. "IRON DUKE."] + + Dear little Freda + + I must write and thank you for your kind thought of the + sailors. The one seaman to whom I gave your muffler was so much + touched + + Thank you dear + + Yours + John Jellicoe + +Admiral Jellicoe's affection and consideration for children is shown +in a variety of ways. The letter to a schoolgirl, reproduced on page +83, thanking her for a gift of a muffler for one of the sailors on the +flagship, is a striking example of his thoughtfulness and the personal +interest he takes in everything, and everyone, connected with the +welfare of his men and with his fleet. + +Another letter to his wife, which Lady Jellicoe kindly allowed the +author to read and reproduce, was written on board the _Iron Duke_ +early in November. Though it was sent to Lady Jellicoe it was intended +for all the wives, mothers, sisters, sweethearts and children of the +British sailors at sea throughout the Empire, for Sir John wished them +to know how gallantly his men (which are _their_ men) were behaving +and how proud he was to command them. + +It is a brave letter, containing a brave message for the women and +children. + + _H.M.S. "Iron Duke."_ + 14-11-'14. + + _I know you will be meeting the wives and families of the men, + and I hope you will tell them of the magnificent spirit which + prevails. Our troops have covered themselves with glory during + this war. The Navy has not yet, as a whole, had the opportunity + of showing that the old spirit which carried us to victory in + the past is with us now, but when our men have had the + opportunity of fighting a foe above the water, they have shown + that they possess the same pluck and endurance as our comrades + ashore. Nothing can ever have been finer than the coolness and + courage shown in every case where ships have been sunk by mines + or torpedoes. The discipline has been perfect, and men have + gone to their death not only most gallantly, but most + unselfishly. One hears on all sides of numerous instances of + men giving up, on these occasions, the plank that has supported + them, to some more feeble comrade, and I feel prouder with + every day that passes that I command such men._ + + _And during the period of waiting and watching they are + cheerful and contented in spite of the grey dulness of their + lives. I am sure you will tell the wives and children, and the + sisters and mothers, of our men, of the spirit that prevails, + and I know that it will make them too desire to show in their + own lives that they are animated by the same desire to do the + best they can for their country, so that they will be worthy of + their men-kind, of whom it is difficult to say too much._ + _JN. JELLICOE._ + +When the Atlantic Fleet visited Gibraltar, Lady Jellicoe and her +family joined Sir John at the Rock, staying at the Villa Victoria. + +Jellicoe's flagship was the _Prince of Wales_, and while she was in +dock, many delightful entertainments were given on board, the +Admiral's daughters doing their share--even Miss Norah, "the baby of +the fleet," inviting equally small craft (of the human kind) to tea on +the flagship with the request that they would "bring their own +bottles." + +The Rock benefited considerably by the three months' visit of the +Fleet, under Vice-Admiral Sir John Jellicoe, and by the presence of +Lady Jellicoe and her family. + +All work and no play make Jack a dull boy, but Lady Jellicoe saw to it +that Jack got his fair share of amusement. At the Annual Rifle +Meeting, the Vice-Admiral's Cup, presented by Vice-Admiral Sir John +Jellicoe, was won by the Vice-Admiral's B Team from his flagship, with +A team, also from the flagship, second. + +In the individual competitions the Five Hundred Yards was won by Sir +John himself with the Commander of his flagship--Commander +Dryer--second. The _Prince of Wales_ took many other firsts and +seconds, and to just show that he still kept hand and eye in practice, +Sir John Jellicoe and Naval Instructor Holt, representing the Navy, +won the Garrison Racquet Tournament against the Army, by four games to +one. Sir John also won the Racquet Handicap of the Atlantic Fleet, +defeating Mr. Wardlaw in the final by three games to love. + +Sir John's handicap was minus eight. + +These meetings took place during the first anniversary of King +George's accession; the celebrations lasted a week, and the Kaiser's +yacht, _Hohenzollern_, and the German cruisers _Konigsberg_ and +_Sleepner_ were both in port and took part in the festivities; the +Emperor's Imperial Band from the _Hohenzollern_ played at the Victoria +Villa before Sir John and Lady Jellicoe and their guests. + +It is rather interesting to note that the _Musikfolge_ on this +occasion commenced with a selection from Wagner and ended with the +"British Grenadiers" March. + +Vice-Admiral Sir John Jellicoe returned from Gibraltar to England in +time to take part in the great Naval Review at Spithead on June 24th. +H.M. King George, on board the Royal yacht, received a splendid +welcome from the hundred and sixty-seven British ships anchored off +Spithead and the eighteen foreign warships which were also present. +Our boats included twelve Dreadnoughts, thirty cruisers and +seventy-two destroyers. + +Among the foreign ships present were the _Danton_ (France), _Rossiza_ +(Russia), _Kurama_ (Japan), _Radetzky_ (Austria), _Von der Tann_ +(German) and _Hamídich_ (Turkey), all of which afterwards became +involved in the world war. + +After the Review the Naval Manoeuvres took place, in which Jellicoe +commanded the Atlantic Fleet. It was at the conclusion of these +manoeuvres that vague rumours of a crisis with Germany over the +Moroccan affair appeared in certain newspapers. The "scare" was +short-lived, and there was no real ground for the rumours of war +between England, France and Germany that were circulated. + +At this time a German training ship, with several young officers on +board, was cruising in Home waters, doubtless picking up much valuable +information. The commander of this ship is reported to have said that +war between England and Germany was unthinkable. + +Late in July the Atlantic Fleet went to Cromarty for general +exercises, and afterwards the Atlantic Fleet Regatta was held at +Berehaven. On this occasion Jellicoe's flagship, the _Prince of +Wales_, again distinguished herself in a remarkable manner. + +Out of thirty events on the programme for the first two days' racing, +her boats were first, second or third in twenty-eight events, taking +fourteen "firsts." In the Veteran Officers' Skiffs Race Vice-Admiral +Jellicoe stroked the winning boat. Of course the _Prince of Wales_ was +first on the list of points in the regatta, getting fifty-and-a-half +to the _Argyll's_ forty, and won the silver trophy--a figure of a +giant cock. + +One amusing incident occurred at the conclusion of the regatta, when +bands from the various ships went down the course in their big barges +playing a selection of tunes. When they passed the _London_, last but +one in the "race" for points, they played "When London Sleeps"--a sly +dig at that boat's poor performance. + +On passing Jellicoe's flagship each band played "Cock of the Walk" to +the accompaniment of deafening cheers. + +Sir John, as every man in the Senior Service knows, is a keen +temperance man; it was he who was credited with the phrase "the grog +curve." He believes that a sailor should have his glass of grog so +long as he never takes more than he can carry, and he does not "carry" +even that amount when on duty. + +Jellicoe delivered an epoch-making speech on this very important +question at a great temperance meeting held at Gibraltar in November, +1911. On this occasion he said that everyone responsible must +recognize the value of temperance in fighting efficiency. + +In the Navy there are three qualities upon which efficiency mainly +depends--discipline, shooting, and endurance, and temperance +unquestionably tends greatly to the promotion of these qualities. In +regard to discipline one has only to look at the punishment returns to +realize how many of the disciplinary offences are at the outset due to +intemperance. + +As for endurance, medical research has amply proved the fact that +temperance is a great asset in improving the physical qualities, and +therefore the endurance, of the human race. As regards straight +shooting, which is so largely a question of eye, it is everyone's +experience that abstinence is necessary for the highest efficiency. +"If I am going to a rifle meeting in the afternoon," Vice-Admiral +Jellicoe said, "I don't take a whisky and soda after lunch. If I did, +I know I should have no chance of making a possible." + +It was the late Captain Ogilvy who pointed out that efficiency in +shooting was thirty per cent. better before the issue of grog than +after. + +In the Honours' List at the time of the Coronation celebrations a +K.C.B. was bestowed on Vice-Admiral Sir John Jellicoe, and on November +28th he was given the command of the Second Division of the Home +Fleet. There were numerous changes now made at the Admiralty, Admiral +Sir Francis Bridgeman becoming First Sea Lord in place of Sir Arthur +Wilson. With him were H.S.H. Prince Louis of Battenberg and Captain +William Pakenham, all men of the new school. + +At the time the changes made were considered to be startling. Mr. +Winston Churchill, the new broom, practically made a clean sweep of +the old Board. It was a case of putting youth (as youth is counted in +the Senior Service) at the helm--and youth had the courage to give +youth, allied with experience, a chance--for Mr. Churchill himself was +at the time only thirty-seven years of age. Sir Francis Bridgeman was +sixty-two, Prince Louis of Battenberg fifty-seven and Captain Pakenham +fifty. Jellicoe's age was fifty-two. + +Mr. Churchill in his speech in the House of Commons explained that the +changes on the Board were necessary, and said it would lead to a more +effective working in the interest of administrative efficiency. All +former precedents had been observed. As to the question whether the +Sea Lords had resigned or been removed he had to say that when he +apprised them of the fact that His Majesty had given his assent to +certain changes on the Board they accepted those changes in the true +spirit of the Naval Service. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +1911-1913 + + +In December of 1911 Vice-Admiral Jellicoe was back in Gibraltar, which +thanks to the presence of the Fleet and its Commander's popularity +experienced quite the most successful season it had ever known. The +American cruiser _Chester_ was in port and did her share in the round +of balls, dinners and sports which were held. The Gibraltar Jockey +Club held its winter meeting on the picturesque North Front racecourse +and attracted a remarkable and cosmopolitan gathering. + +It was on December 13th that the Peninsular and Oriental steamer +_Delhi_, conveying the Princess Royal and the Duke of Fife and their +family to Egypt, ran ashore on the Moroccan coast off Cape Spartel. + +The _Delhi_ left London on December 8th, and just outside the Straits +of Gibraltar she encountered a terrific gale. + +The Atlantic Fleet should have left the Rock on the thirteenth, but +when news was received of the disaster Jellicoe immediately sent +battleships and cruisers to the assistance of the _Delhi_. + +Great anxiety had been felt at Gibraltar throughout the previous night +at the non-arrival of the _Delhi_, which was due the previous day, and +arrangements had been made by the Governor and Admiral Jellicoe to +visit the Princess. + +The French cruiser _Friant_ was the first to learn of the wreck, by +wireless, and she was immediately sent to the scene: the sea was +running very high, but at ten o'clock in the morning a steam launch +put out from the _Friant_ and succeeded in taking off twenty women and +children and transferring them to the cruiser _Duke of Edinburgh_, +which had arrived. + +The gale increased in violence, but once again the _Friant's_ launch +attempted to cross the boiling waters and rescue more of the _Delhi's_ +passengers. The heavy seas, however, put out her fires and drove her +ashore; nevertheless her plucky French sailors re-lit the fires and +again launched their boat. But the breakers soon capsized her and +threw her crew into the water, three of whom were drowned. + +Towards the afternoon the seas went down and the British cruisers +managed to establish communication between the _Delhi_ and the shore. + +Admiral Cradock was able to reach the _Delhi_ in his pinnace and took +off the Princess Royal and the Duke of Fife and put them ashore. But +in landing they were nearly swept away and only reached the beach +after a desperate struggle. + +Eventually, all the passengers were safely got off the _Delhi_, and +though part of her cargo was saved--including bullion to the extent of +£500,000 which she was bringing back from India--she became a total +wreck. + +Admiral Jellicoe reached England in time to meet the King and Queen on +their return from India, in the New Year; and in command of the Second +Division of the Home Fleet he had the honour of escorting their +Majesties--in the _Medina_--up the English Channel. + +The ships under Jellicoe's command which performed this duty were the +_Agamemnon_, _Colossus_, _Hercules_, _Lord Nelson_, _Britannia_, +_Dominion_, _Hindustan_ and _Orion_, together with five cruisers. + +Early in February Admiral Jellicoe had the honour of being received by +His Majesty at Buckingham Palace, when the King invested him with the +insignia of a Knight Commander of the Most Honourable Order of the +Bath. + +At this time Mr. Arnold White wrote a very interesting appreciation of +Jellicoe which appeared in _The Throne_ and which in many respects was +almost prophetic. The article was headed "The Man and the Moment," and +in referring to the task which would confront Admiral Jellicoe--if war +ever broke out--as Commander of the British forces at sea, he wrote as +follows: + +"Vice-Admiral Sir John Jellicoe is the Emir upon whom our rulers have +thrust the heaviest responsibility that rests on the shoulders of any +man born of a woman. He is the man who has been told off to the job of +commanding the British forces at sea when war breaks out. + + * * * * * + +"Imagine what this means. Nelson's supreme task, heavy as it was, was +child's play compared to the work that lies ahead of the Admiral who +is now Second-in-Command of the Home Fleet. Nelson had hours to make +up his mind before attacking his foe at the Nile, at Copenhagen, off +the Spanish coast, and at the 'crowning mercy' of Trafalgar. Jellicoe +will have ten minutes from the time that the best look-out man in his +Fleet first sights the enemy's Fleet through a modern telescope. +Nelson could sleep o' nights, undisturbed by wireless messages, +torpedo attack, submarines, floating mines or aeroplanes. + + * * * * * + +"The night before the great sea fight that will settle the future of +Europe and the British Empire for two centuries, it is improbable that +Jellicoe will lie down to sleep. Therefore it is obvious that he must +be a man of great vitality, physical fitness, and tranquil mind, or +the Government would never have placed eleven vice-admirals on the +shelf--or 'on the beach,' as they say in the Navy--in order that a +mere Second-in-Command of the Mediterranean Fleet should be lifted +over the heads of all the senior officers who stood between Jellicoe +and the command of England's Home Fleet." + + * * * * * + +On May 8th, the King visited Portsmouth to inspect his Fleet and +witness certain technical exercises and manoeuvres carried out. By +far the most interesting event was Commander Samson's flight in a +hydro-aeroplane. + +It was a wonderful performance, Commander Samson making his machine +perform the most astounding evolutions. Other members of the Air +Squadron gave superb exhibitions. The following day further remarkable +evolutions were performed on, under and above water. + +There followed a mimic naval battle between the "Red" Fleet under +Admiral Sir George Callaghan and the "Blue" under Vice-Admiral Sir +John Jellicoe, in which the "Blue" distinguished itself and "sank" and +captured a great number of "Reds." + +In July a Royal Commission was appointed to investigate and report on +the supply of oil fuel for the Navy, and Jellicoe was chosen as one of +the members of the Commission. Lord Fisher was Chairman. + +The significance of the appointment of this Commission was very great. +It meant that the Navy was again faced with a revolution. The result +of the investigations and the reports that were made we are now able +to learn and appreciate. + +In the fall of the year there were further changes made by the +Admiralty. Prince Louis of Battenberg succeeded Sir Francis Bridgeman +as First Sea Lord and Jellicoe was appointed as Second Sea Lord, which +practically put him in complete control at Whitehall. The greatest +satisfaction was caused in Naval circles by these changes. + +When Jellicoe gave up his command of the Second Squadron of the Home +Fleet he was given a great send-off by the ships assembled there and +the following signal was flown from the flagship: + +"The Rear-Admiral, Captains, Officers, and Ships' Companies of the +Second-Squadron express regret at the departure of the Vice-Admiral +and wish him every success in his new appointment." + +Jellicoe replied by signalling his thanks and wishing the Squadron all +prosperity. + +One of the first important steps taken by the new Sea Lord in 1913 was +to adopt the "Director" firing apparatus invented by Sir Percy Scott. +It was decided to supply all ships of the Dreadnought type with this +apparatus. + +It was with the _Thunderer_ and _Orion_ that trials were first of all +carried out, in the presence of Admiral Jellicoe and other naval +experts. + +The _Thunderer_ was built at the Thames Ironworks and fitted with the +"Director"; the _Orion_, a sister ship, was equipped with the +"fire-control" apparatus. + +The _Thunderer_ and _Orion_ are both of the same design and both cost +the same amount to build. + +The _Thunderer_, fitted with the "Director," at a target 10,000 yards +distant made eighty per cent. of hits. Such shooting as this was a +revelation; nothing like it had ever been dreamed of. It was four or +five times better practice than the _Orion_ could make fitted with the +"fire-control" system. It was better than any record made at 2,000 +yards in the gunlayer's tests. + +In simple language Sir Percy Scott's invention increased the hitting +power of a ship, at long range and in a heavy sea, by four hundred per +cent. + +With its aid a tremendous broadside can be fired from a Dreadnought. +The officer in charge of the "Director" has a special "cabin" or +"room" in the fore of the ship, from which he can control and fire +every gun. He can discover the exact range of the enemy, and the +precise elevation for the guns. Every operation is controlled by the +"Director"--excepting, of course, loading and cleaning the guns. + +The _Thunderer_ in 1913 could fire ten shells, each weighing 1,250 +lbs., in one broadside. Each shell has a penetrating power of 1 foot +at 10,000 yards. + +The _Iron Duke_, Admiral Jellicoe's flagship in 1914, can do even +better than this. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +SUPREME ADMIRAL OF THE HOME FLEETS + + +Nineteen hundred and thirteen was a very busy year for Sir John +Jellicoe. On May 16th he left England for Germany to attend the +wedding festivities of the Emperor's only daughter, Princess Victoria +Louise, who was to be married to Prince Ernest of Cumberland. + +Sir John and Lady Jellicoe were, curiously enough, the first English +guests to reach Berlin. The King and Queen of England left Sheerness +on the 20th on board the Royal Yacht _Victoria and Albert_, the +Duchess of Devonshire accompanying Her Majesty and Sir Frederick +Ponsonby and Sir Colin Keppel being Equerries in Waiting to the King. + +Berlin was _en f'te_ for over a week, and among those present at +Princess Victoria's wedding, besides our own Royal Family, were the +Czar of Russia, the Grand Duchess of Baden, the Duke and Duchess of +Cumberland, the Grand Duke of Hesse and ambassadors from nearly every +country in the world. + +Festivities commenced with a gala dinner given the day the Czar of +Russia arrived in Berlin. The following morning there was a luncheon +at the British Embassy in honour of King George and Queen Mary, at +which the Imperial Chancellor, the Ambassador in Berlin and Sir John +and Lady Jellicoe were among the principal guests. That same evening +there was a gala performance at the Opera. "Lohengrin" was performed +at the special request of Princess Victoria. + +The Opera House presented a wonderful appearance; from foyer to +ceiling it was decorated with red and white carnations, the outsides +of all the loges being turned into great banks of these flowers. Sir +John and Lady Jellicoe occupied one of the loges near the stage, where +the ambassadors, ministers and distinguished officers were seated. The +royal party not only filled the vast court box but overflowed into the +boxes at the back of the dress circle. There was, of course, a +brilliant display of uniforms and decorations, and against the +background of red and white carnations the colour scheme was +extraordinarily effective. + +Earlier in the day King George and Queen Mary entertained the English +Colony in Berlin, and the King made a short speech which is worth +quoting: + + "We are exceedingly happy to be the guests of the Sovereign of + this great nation in order to celebrate the marriage of two + young people which we pray may be fraught with every blessing. + Fostering and maintaining friendly relations between yourselves + and the people of this your adopted home you will help to + insure the peace of the world, the preservation of which is my + ardent desire as it was the principal aim of my dear father's + life." + +Sir John Jellicoe spent some little time in Berlin, where he made +himself exceedingly popular, being entertained by all the great +officers of State, the Army and Navy, including Admiral Von +Tirpitz--fated just a year later to be his great rival. But the +meeting between these two great men must have been interesting as we +may rest assured it was friendly. + +Jellicoe had the honour of dining with the Emperor at Potsdam, and on +May 20th he cruised for two hours in the Zeppelin airship _Hansa_ +accompanied by Captain Watson, the British Naval Attaché in Berlin. + +Jellicoe returned to England in time to prepare for the naval +manoeuvres which commenced early in July. No manoeuvres which the +British Fleet has undertaken attracted so much attention or were +fraught with such vital issues as those of 1913. At the same time +there has never been so much mystery attached to the movements of the +ships or to the result of the mimic warfare which took place. + +There were six squadrons of battleships involved, two of them, the +Fourth and Sixth squadrons, being much below strength. There were ten +squadrons of cruisers and torpedo destroyers and submarine flotillas. +There were also mine layers and mine sweepers, and three aeroplanes +actively employed. + +Tests of fuel and its conveyance to any point necessary and its quick +transference to ships in action were carried out. + +By far the most important part of the manoeuvres was an attempt to +invade these shores and land a large force of men on them. For this +purpose the Fleet was divided into two parts. The Red or hostile Fleet +being under the command of Jellicoe and the Blue or defending Fleet +under Callaghan. + +The Red Fleet had not only to contend against a superior force, but +supposing her ships were able to defeat or avoid the defenders, she +still had the battleships, cruisers, destroyers and submarines waiting +for her at Sheerness, Harwich, Rosyth, Dundee and Cromarty. And +supposing she escaped the attentions of all these forces, the East +Coast from the North to the South was guarded by forces of Infantry +and mounted troops with their machine gun sections. Large forces +drawn from the Territorials were also said to be held in reserve +further inland. + +Criticising these manoeuvres before they took place, which is +obviously a dangerous thing to do, the critic in the _Evening +Standard_ of July 10th made the following announcement: + +"If Sir John Jellicoe, heavily handicapped, fails, as no doubt he is +meant to fail, we shall be told that this only proves how safe we are +against a raid in force or an invasion. Of course all it will prove is +that if you are allowed to arrange the terms beforehand, load the dice +in your own favour, you can win the game--especially when it is only a +game and the elements of accident, luck and human personality are +rigorously excluded. It will show that a raid might fail in certain +conditions ... and then no doubt we shall be informed by Ministers +that Britain is invulnerable against all assault; that we can all +sleep quietly in our beds under the protection of a sham Territorial +Army and a Navy proved to be of overwhelming superiority to any +possible foe. It is not a game of strategy that is being played, but a +game of politics. The German Admiralty will not be deceived, but +perhaps the British Electorate may be." + +Now what really happened when the manoeuvres commenced was a very +successful raid by the enemy on the Norfolk coast in which a portion +of the Blue Fleet was defeated. Jellicoe's next move was an attack on +the Humber and the capture of Grimsby and Immingham. Nearly 3,000 men +with their guns were landed. They seized the railway, and +commandeering trains they sent troops inland. The docks and wireless +stations were seized and Cleethorpes and New Holland were also taken. +This raid on the Humber was evidently a complete surprise to the +defenders. + +While this was taking place, the Red Fleet was scoring other successes +elsewhere. A cruiser and destroyers appeared off Sunderland with two +troopships from which over a thousand men were landed at the docks. +Blyth was also captured on the Northumberland coast, and a force of +infantry with a battery of 12-prs. was landed. + +Now these raids by the Red Fleet under Jellicoe were not just ordinary +manoeuvres. He struck just where he knew our enemies would try to +strike. He landed men and guns, captured railways, docks and wireless +stations; held the position which he captured and, when discovered by +the defending fleet, he either eluded or kept their ships at bay. +Perhaps the landing at Blyth was the most important, and the transport +_Rohilla_ was congratulated for the excellent work she did. + +Whatever those manoeuvres proved they undoubtedly proved that men +are greater than warships--and that Jellicoe is a very great man. It +was practically admitted that the defence had failed and had failed +through the brilliant strategy of Admiral Sir John Jellicoe. + +The full history of the naval manoeuvres of 1913 was never written. +The Press of course indulged in a wordy warfare, and the battles of +the Red and Blue were--on paper--fought over and over again. + +The men who knew most said nothing, and Jellicoe, a silent man, having +done his job, slipped out of the limelight, which he hates so keenly, +as quickly as possible. + +But very probably his successful raid on the Humber was responsible +for the crisis which occurred in the Cabinet when the Naval Estimates +came up for discussion early in the New Year. Mr. Winston Churchill, +who had been accused of not spending enough money on the Navy, was now +accused of wanting to spend too much. As a matter of fact Mr. +Churchill did not on behalf of the Admiralty put forward any new +proposals, but simply wished to carry out the policy which had already +been adopted by the Cabinet. The Admiralty had long ago decided that +it was necessary to have 60 per cent. superiority in Dreadnoughts over +the next greatest naval power to ours in place of the former two-power +standard. + +It was as early as February, 1914, that the name of Vice-Admiral Sir +John Jellicoe was mentioned as being the probable successor to Sir +George Callaghan as Commander-in-Chief of the Home Fleets. It was on +March 17th that Mr. Winston Churchill fought his battle in the Cabinet +on the Navy Estimates. The Board of Admiralty was with him, and he +received authority to ask Parliament to devote over £15,000,000 to new +naval construction--the largest sum that has ever been devoted to that +purpose. + +In July the test mobilization of our Fleets was carried out, the ships +passing His Majesty the King off the Nab lightship, seaplanes and +aeroplanes hovering high above them in the air, while submarines +slipped beneath the waters underneath. After the Review was over our +ships steamed up the Channel in order to carry out certain peace +exercises in manoeuvres, while a patrol flotilla was actively +employed in testing a scheme for sealing the exit which the Channel +makes to the North Sea. Less than a fortnight later the incredible +thing happened. + +Rumours of war, sudden, by the majority unexpected. + +Then war. + +It could not have happened at a more auspicious moment as far as the +British Navy was concerned. Sir John Jellicoe was appointed supreme +Admiral of the Home Fleets. Two destroyers building for Chile were +compulsorily purchased by the Admiralty as well as two battleships +just completed for Turkey. + +Drake's drums had rattled. + +England in her hour of need had found two great leaders--Jellicoe and +French at the head of her Navy and Army. And behind them two brilliant +Statesmen--Asquith and Churchill at the head of her people. + +What these four men have already done is history. What remains to be +done, and what they will do unflinchingly, no matter the cost, will, +we all know, make history. + +But it is only natural that we, the sons and daughters of the greatest +Empire the world has ever seen, who are left in our little sea-girt +isle, and strain our eyes through the mist and foam to those seas +beyond the North toward one man in whose keeping more than that of any +other man lies the destiny of our race; the fate perhaps not only of +our great Empire but of the world. + +Never before has silence spoken so eloquently as it spoke from the +North Sea when Jellicoe led our ships into her mists and storms. + + "Not unto us," + Cried Drake, "not unto us--but unto Him + Who made the sea, belongs our England now! + Pray God that heart and mind and soul we prove + Worthy among the nations of this hour." + + --_Alfred Noyes._ + + * * * * * + +That we shall prove worthy among the nations it is almost impossible +to doubt. With such leaders how could a people fail? + +With an Empire on which the sun never sets, and which has given men, +gold and even food to the Mother Country with a lavish hand, will not +her rich merchants as well as her poorer sons of the Mother Country +make as great sacrifices and show as much heroism as the sons of +France, of Russia and Belgium? + +We cannot doubt it. Though, after three months of the bloodiest +warfare the world has ever seen, several million young Englishmen were +still listening unmoved to the Drums of Drake--to the call of England, +their England, for men to defend her in her hour of danger yet we know +that, though slow to understand and hard to move, Englishmen, once +they have understood and once they have been moved, will be true to +themselves, their inheritance and their beloved little island. With +Henley they will cry with one voice and one soul: + + "England, My England-- + Take and break us: we are yours, + England my own! + Life is good, and joy runs high + Between English earth and sky: + Death is death; but we shall die + To the song on your bugles blown." + +And they will follow their devoted leaders into battle--French on the +land and Jellicoe on the wild North seas. + +And those who are left at home to carry on "business as usual," will +not they make some sacrifices too? + + +_Miller, Son, & Compy., Ltd., Printers, Fakenham and London._ + + + + + * * * * * + + + + +Transcriber's note: + +Archaic and inconsistent spelling and punctuation were retained. + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 41109 *** |