POSTSCRIPT
Last night, in finishing off the examination of several boxes of old papers, I came across a forgotten letter written a fortnight after the Battle of Trafalgar from the “Dreadnought” (which ship participated in the Battle). On mentioning it I was told there was a “Dreadnought” in the Navy at the time of Henry VIII. I think one of the Docks at Portsmouth dates from that time, and the “Dreadnought” may have been docked in it. I love the delicious little touch at the end of this letter where everyone seals their letters with black wax in memory of Nelson, and the prayer and poetry are lovely. And where his acquaintance in Collingwood’s Ship “had been shortened by the Hand of Death,” and
“Roll softly ye Waves,
Blow gently ye Winds
O’er the bosom of the deep where the bodies of the Heroes rest, until the Great Day, when all that are in their grave shall hear the Voice of the Son of God, when thou O Sea! shall give up thy dead to Life Immortal, and thou O Britain be grateful to thy defenders! that the Widows and Orphans of thy deceased Warriors be precious in thy sight—Soothe their sorrows, alleviate their distresses and provide for their wants by anticipating their wishes.”
(The Straits of Gibraltar the writer spells “Streights.”) He adds “Our splendid Success has been dearly bought. Our gallant Chief is dead. In the arms of Victory fell the greatest Hero that ever any age or Nation ever produced.”
APPENDIX I
LORD FISHER’S GREAT NAVAL REFORMS
By W. T. Stead
“He being dead yet speaketh.”—Hebrews xi. 4.
[The following account of Lord Fisher’s Naval Reforms is extracted from The Review of Reviews for February, 1910.]
I briefly summarise Lord Fisher’s four great reforms:
1. The introduction of the nucleus crew system.
2. The redistribution of the fleets in accordance with modern requirements.
3. The elimination of inefficient fighting vessels from the Active List of the Navy.
4. The introduction of the all-big-gun type of battleship and battleship-cruiser.
To these four cardinal achievements must be added the system of common entry and training for all executive officers and the institution and development of the Naval War College and the Naval War Staff.
By the nucleus crew system all our available ships of war are ready for instant mobilisation. From two-fifths to three-fifths of their complement, including all the expert and specialist ratings, are on board, so that they are familiar with the ship and her armament. The rest of the crew is held in constant readiness to come on board. Fisher once aired, in after-dinner talk, the daring idea that the time would come when the First Lord of the Admiralty would be supreme over the War Office, and would, as in the days of the Commonwealth, fill up deficiencies in ships’ crews by levies from the territorial forces. Landsmen can serve guns as well as sailors.
The second great revolution was necessitated by the alteration in the centre of international gravity occasioned by the growth of the German Navy. Formerly the Mediterranean Fleet ranked first in importance. Now the Home Fleet concentrates in its four divisions all the best fighting ships we possess. It is hardly too much to say, as M. Hanotaux publicly declared, that Admiral Fisher had, by concentration and redistribution, magnified our fighting naval strength by an amount unparalleled in a hundred years. That the fighting efficiency of the Fleet has been doubled under Fisher’s régime is to understate the facts. To say it has been trebled would hardly be over the mark. And what is the most marvellous thing of all is that this enormous increase of efficiency was achieved not only without any increase of the estimates, but in spite of a reduction which amounted to nearly five millions sterling—three and a half millions actual and one and a half millions automatic increase checked.
This great economy was largely achieved by the scrapping of ships too weak to fight and too slow to run away. One hundred and fifty obsolete and useless ships were removed from the effective list; some were sold, others were broken up, while a third class were kept in store for contingencies. They were lame ducks, all useless in war, costly in peace, consuming stores, wasting the time of officers and men. The obsolete ships were replaced on foreign stations by vessels which could either fight or fly....
Of the introduction of the “Dreadnought” and super-“Dreadnoughts” I have already spoken.
Apart from the above matters of high policy, a number of other reforms or advances have been made during the past five years which are beyond all criticism. Opinions may differ as to the details of some of these services, but there is no dispute as to their immense contribution to the fighting efficiency of the Navy. Some of these may be thus briefly enumerated:
1. Complete reorganisation of the dockyards. [6,000 redundant workmen discharged.]
2. Improved system of refits of ships, and limitation of number of vessels absent at one time from any fleet for repair.
3. Introduction of the Royal Fleet Reserve, composed only of ratings who have served for a period of years in the active service.
4. Improvements of Royal Naval Reserve, by enforcing periodical training on board modern commissioned ships in place of obsolete hulks or shore batteries.
5. Establishment and extension of Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve.
6. The establishment of a service of offensive mines and mine-laying vessels.
7. The introduction of vessels for defensive mine-sweeping in harbours and on the open sea.
8. A complete organisation of the service of auxiliary vessels for the fleets in war.
9. The development of submarines, and the equipment of submarine bases and all the necessary auxiliaries.
10. The proper organisation of the Destroyer Flotillas, with their essential auxiliaries.
11. The enormous development of wireless telegraphy afloat, the equipment of powerful shore stations round the coast and at the Admiralty, and the introduction of a special corps of operators.
12. The experimental stage of aerial navigation entered upon.
13. The foundation of the Royal Naval War College and its development.
14. The establishment of Signal Schools at each port.
15. The establishment of a Navigation School.
16. Enormous advances in the Gunnery training and efficiency of the Fleet.
17. Great improvements in torpedoes and in the torpedo training.
18. The introduction of a naval education and training for Engine Room Artificers.
19. The introduction of the new rating of Mechanician for the Stoker Class for engine-driving duties.
20. Complete reorganisation of the arrangements for mobilisation, whereby every officer and man is always detailed by name for his ship on mobilisation, and the mobilisation of the whole fleet can be effected in a few hours.
21. The introduction of a complete system of intelligence of trade movements throughout the world.
22. The stores of the Fleet put on a modern basis both in the storehouses ashore and those carried in the ships themselves—recognising the far different conditions now obtaining to those of sailing-ship days of long voyages, necessitating larger supplies being carried, and modern conditions of production and supply enabling stores on distant stations and at home being rapidly replenished. Some millions sterling were economised in this way with increased efficiency, as the Fleet was supplied with up-to-date articles; the only thing that gained by the age of the old system was the rum.
23. The provision of repair ships, distilling plant, and attendant auxiliaries to all fleets, and the preparation of plans elaborated in a confidential handbook providing for all the auxiliary vessels required in war.
In addition to all the above reforms great improvements have been made in the conditions of service of officers and men, all tending to increase contentment and thereby advance efficiency. Some of these are as follows:
1. The introduction of two-year commissions, in place of three years and often four [so that men were not so long away from their homes and the crews of ships did not get stale].
2. Increases of pay to many grades of both officers and men—as regards Commanders, the only increase since the rank was introduced.
3. Ship’s Bands provided by the Service, and a School of Music established, and foreign musicians abolished.
4. The long-standing grievances of the men with regard to their victualling removed. Improvements in cooking. Bakeries fitted on board ships.
5. The Canteen system recognised and taken under Admiralty control, and the old abuses abolished.
6. The clothing system reformed, and much expense saved to the men.
7. Great improvements effected in the position of Petty Officers.
8. An educational test instituted for advancement to Petty Officer.
9. Increase of pension granted to Chief Petty Officers.
10. Allotment stoppages abolished.
11. Allowances paid to men in lieu of victuals when on leave.
12. Promotions from the ranks to Commissioned Officer introduced.
13. Warrant rank introduced for the telegraphist, stoker, ship’s steward, writer, ship’s police, and ship’s cook classes.
I print the foregoing from a return drawn up by an expert familiar with details of the Service. To the general reader they will be chiefly interesting as suggesting the immense and multifarious labours of Admiral Fisher. It is not surprising that he found it necessary to start work every morning at four o’clock.
APPENDIX II
SYNOPSIS OF LORD FISHER’S CAREER.
Born January 25, 1841, at Rambodde, Ceylon.
Son of Captain William Fisher, 78th Highlanders, A.D.C. to the Governor of Ceylon, and Sophia, daughter of A. Lambe, of New Bond Street, and granddaughter of Alderman Boydell. His godmother was Lady Wilmot Horton, wife of the Governor of Ceylon; and his godfather Sir Robert Arbuthnot, Commanding the Forces in Ceylon.
Entered the Royal Navy, June 13, 1854.
Received a nomination for the Navy from Admiral Sir William Parker, the last of Nelson’s Captains. Joined his first ship, the “Victory,” at Portsmouth, on July 12, 1854. The “Victory” was also the last ship to fly his flag as an Admiral, October 20, 1904.
Served in Russian War, in Baltic (Medal) in “Calcutta” 84 guns.
Served in the China War, 1856–60, including the capture of Canton and Peiho Forts. (China Medal, Canton and Taku Clasps.) Given command of a small vessel by Admiral Sir James Hope, Commander-in-Chief, the “Coromandel,” of which he was acting Captain at the age of 19.
Also served in “Highflyer,” Captain Shadwell; “Chesapeake,” Captain Hilles; and “Furious,” Captain Oliver Jones. Returned home in 1861 from the China Station.
Lieutenant, November 4, 1860.
In passing for Lieutenant, he won the Beaufort Testimonial; and was advanced to Mate on January 25, 1860, and confirmed as Lieutenant within eleven months.
March 28, 1863.
Appointed to H.M.S. “Warrior,” Captain the Hon. A. A. Cochrane, the first seagoing ironclad, for gunnery duties. Served in her for three and a half years.
November 3, 1866.
Appointed to the Staff of H.M.S. “Excellent,” gunnery schoolship, Portsmouth, Captain Arthur W. A. Hood.
August 2, 1869.
Promoted to Commander, and appointed to the China flagship.
September 19, 1872.
On returning from China in H.M.S. “Ocean,” was appointed to “Excellent” for Torpedo Service. Started the “Vernon” as a Torpedo Schoolship. Visited Fiume to arrange for the purchase of the Whitehead Torpedo.
October 30, 1874.
Promoted to Captain, and re-appointed to “Excellent” for torpedo service and instructional duties, remaining until 1876.
November 16, 1876.
Appointed for special service in “Hercules,” flagship of Vice-Admiral the Hon. Sir James Drummond, Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean.
March 15, 1877.
Appointed Flag-Captain to Admiral Sir A. Cooper-Key, Commander-in-Chief, North American Station, in the “Bellerophon.”
June 7, 1878.
Appointed Flag-Captain to Admiral Sir A. Cooper-Key, Commanding the Particular Service Squadron, in the “Hercules.”
January 1, 1879.
Appointed in command of the “Pallas,” corvette, on Mediterranean Station, returning home in July. President of a Committee for the revision of the “Gunnery Manual of the Fleet.”
September 25, 1879.
Appointed Flag-Captain to Vice-Admiral Sir Leopold M’Clintock, Commander-in-Chief, North American Station, in the “Northampton.”
January 18, 1881.
Appointed to command the “Inflexible,” the largest ship in the Navy.
July 11, 1882.
Took part in the bombardment of Alexandria. Afterwards landed with the Naval Brigade at Alexandria. Arranged for the first “armoured train,” and commanded it in various skirmishes with the enemy.
August 14, 1882.
Awarded the C.B. for service at Alexandria; also Egyptian Medal, with Alexandria Clasp; Khedive’s Bronze Star; Order of Osmanieh, 3rd Class; etc.
November 9, 1882.
Invalided home through illness contracted on active service.
April 6, 1883.
Appointed in command of “Excellent,” gunnery schoolship.
1884.
Collaborated with Mr. W. T. Stead in the production of “The Truth About the Navy,” resulting in increased Navy Estimates and the opening of a new era in the provision of an adequate Fleet.
November 1, 1886.
Appointed Director of Naval Ordnance, occupying this post four and a half years. Carried out the transfer of the control of naval ordnance from the War Office to the Admiralty.
August 2, 1890.
Promoted to Rear-Admiral.
May 21, 1891.
Appointed Admiral-Superintendent of Portsmouth Dockyard. Expedited the completion of the “Royal Sovereign,” first of a new type of battleships. Acted as host when the French Squadron under Admiral Gervais visited the Dockyard, 1891.
February 1, 1892.
Appointed Third Sea Lord and Controller of the Navy, and served in the administrations of Lord George Hamilton, Earl Spencer, and Mr. G. J. Goschen as First Lords; and Admirals Sir A. Hood, Sir A. H. Hoskins and Sir F. W. Richards as First Sea Lords. During this period the firm stand of the Admiralty Board brought about the resignation of Mr. Gladstone, March 3, 1894.
May 26, 1894.
Appointed K.C.B.
May 8, 1896.
Promoted to Vice-Admiral.
August 24, 1897.
Hoisted his flag in H.M.S. “Renown” as Commander-in-Chief, North American Station.
1899.
Attended the first Hague Peace Conference as Naval Delegate.
July 1, 1899.
Appointed Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Station, with his flag in the “Renown,” remaining in this post until June 2nd, 1902. Admiral Lord Beresford, Second-in-Command, says of this period in his “Memoirs”: “While Vice-Admiral Sir John Fisher was Commander-in-Chief of the Mediterranean Fleet, he greatly improved its fighting efficiency. As a result of his representations, the stocks of coal at Malta and Gibraltar were increased, the torpedo flotillas were strengthened, and the new breakwaters at Malta were begun. Some of Sir John Fisher’s reforms are confidential; but among his achievements which became common knowledge, the following are notable: From a 12-knot Fleet with breakdowns, he made a 15-knot Fleet without breakdowns; introduced long range target practice, and instituted the Challenge Cup for heavy gun shooting; instituted various war practices for officers and men; invited, with excellent results, officers to formulate their opinions upon cruising and battle formation; drew up complete instructions for torpedo flotillas; exercised cruisers in towing destroyers and battleships in towing one another, thereby proving the utility of the device for saving coal in an emergency; and generally carried into execution Fleet exercises based, not on tradition, but on the probabilities of war.”
1900.
Received from the Sultan of Turkey the 1st Class of the Order of Osmanieh.
November 2, 1901.
Promoted to Admiral.
June 5, 1902.
Returned to the Admiralty as Second Sea Lord, remaining until August 31, 1903, with Lord Selborne, First Lord, and Admiral Lord Walter Kerr, First Sea Lord.
June 26, 1902.
Appointed G.C.B. in the Coronation Honours List.
December 25, 1902.
Launched new scheme of naval entry and education for officers, with training colleges at Osborne and Dartmouth.
May 2, 1903.
Made his first public speech at the Royal Academy Banquet.
August 31, 1903.
Appointed Commander-in-Chief at Portsmouth, in order to supervise personally the inauguration of his new education scheme at Osborne College. Also energetically promoted the formation and development of the first British submarine flotilla.
November 7, 1903.
Appointed member of Committee with Lord Esher and Colonel Sir George Clarke (Lord Sydenham) to reorganise the War Office on the lines of the Admiralty Board.
October 21, 1904.
Appointed First Sea Lord in Lord Selborne’s administration, and held this office for five years and three months, the period of his greatest activity and his preparation for a war with Germany. Some of the more notable of his many reforms are dealt with in his “Memories.”
Also appointed, October 21, 1904, First and Principal Naval Aide-de-Camp to King Edward VII.
December 6, 1904.
Admiralty Memorandum on the Distribution of the Fleet, introducing nucleus crew system for ships in reserve, and withdrawing obsolete craft from foreign stations.
January, 1905.
Committee appointed to inquire into the reorganisation of the dockyards.
March 6, 1905.
Appointment of Rear-Admiral Percy Scott to newly-created post of Inspector of Target Practice. By this and other means, including the service of Captain J. R. Jellicoe as Director of Naval Ordnance, the marksmanship of the Navy was vastly improved.
December 4, 1905.
Awarded the Order of Merit, and promoted by Special Order in Council to be an additional Admiral of the Fleet, thus giving him five more years on the active list in order to carry out his policy.
February 10, 1906.
Launch of the “Dreadnought,” the first all-big-gun and turbine-driven battleship, as recommended by the Admiralty Committee on Design presided over by the First Sea Lord (Sir John Fisher).
November, 1906.
Establishment of the Naval War College at Portsmouth.
January, 1907.
Institution of a service of Fleet Auxiliaries—ammunition and store ships, distilling and hospital ships, fleet repair ships, fishing trawlers as, mine sweepers, etc., etc., etc., etc.,
March, 1907.
Creation of a new Home Fleet, with the “Dreadnought” as flagship for service in the North Sea.
August, 1907.
New scheme of advancement and pay of naval ranks and ratings introduced.
September, 1907.
Establishment of a wireless telegraphy branch, and installation erected on the Admiralty building.
November 9, 1907.
Speech at the Lord Mayor’s Banquet, assuring his countrymen that they could sleep quietly in their beds, and not be disturbed by invasion bogeys.
June, 1908.
Visited Reval with King Edward and Queen Alexandra on their visit to the Tsar of Russia. Awarded G.C.V.O. on the conclusion of this cruise.
June 17, 1908.
Created honorary LL.D. of Cambridge University.
June, 1909.
Entertained delegates to Imperial Press Conference at a review of the Fleet at Spithead, and a display of submarines, etc.
December 7, 1909.
Raised to the peerage as Baron Fisher of Kilverstone, in the County of Norfolk, after the manor bequeathed to his only son by the late Mr. Josiah Vavasseur, C.B.
January 25, 1910.
Retired from office of First Sea Lord, and was succeeded by Admiral of the Fleet Sir Arthur Wilson, but remained a member of the Committee of Imperial Defence. Recording his retirement in the First Lord’s Memorandum, dated March 4, 1910, Mr. Reginald McKenna said: “The measures which are associated with his name and have been adopted by several successive Governments will prove of far-reaching and lasting benefit to the Naval Service and the country.”
March 10, 1910.
Took the oath and his seat in the House of Lords.
May 24, 1912.
Visited at Naples by Mr. Churchill (the new First Lord) and Mr. Asquith (Prime Minister).
July 30, 1912.
Appointed Chairman of the Royal Commission on Oil Fuel and Oil Engines for the Navy.
September 7, 1914.
Appointed Honorary Colonel of the First Naval Brigade, Royal Naval Division.
October 30, 1914.
Recalled to the Admiralty as First Sea Lord.
December 8, 1914.
Victory of Admiral Sir Doveton Sturdee over Admiral Count von Spee, due to the prompt dispatch from England of two battle-cruisers immediately on receipt of the news of the Coronel disaster. This was the most decisive battle of the war, the German force being practically annihilated.
January 24, 1915.
Action of Sir David Beatty off the Dogger Bank, and sinking of the “Blücher” another striking success of the battle-cruiser design.
May 15, 1915.
Resignation as First Sea Lord over the Dardanelles question.
July 5, 1915.
Appointed Chairman of the Board of Invention and Research.
November 16, 1915.
First speech in House of Lords, in reference to Mr. Churchill’s speech on the previous day, following the latter’s resignation from Cabinet.
March 21, 1917.
Second speech in House of Lords, declaring his refusal to discuss Dardanelles report during the war.
Awarded the Grand Cordon, with Paulownia, of the Japanese Order of the Rising Sun.
May 5, 1919.
Speech at the luncheon to Mr. Josephus Daniels, U.S. Naval Secretary.
October 21 (Trafalgar Day), 1919.
Publication of “Memories.”
December 8 (Falkland Islands Day), 1919.
Publication of “Records.”