If ever there was a great Christian, he was. After he retired he devoted his whole life to Sunday schools, not only in this country, but in America. There was some great scheme, of which he gave me particulars at the time, of a vast association of all Sunday schools wherever the English tongue is spoken. Perhaps it is in being now--I don’t know; but it was a fine conception that on some specified day throughout the world every child should join in some hymn and prayer for that great idea of John Bright’s--the Commonwealth of Free Nations, all speaking the same grand old English tongue. I was too busy ever to follow that up, as I would have liked to have done, and been his missionary. A letter which he wrote to me in 1910, and a much earlier note of mine to him, which he enclosed with it, are interesting, and I give them here: _Letter from Sir Nathaniel Barnaby, K.C.B. (formerly Chief Constructor of the Navy) to Lord Fisher._ MORAY HOUSE, LEWISHAM, S.E. _15th January, 1910_ MY DEAR ADMIRAL, I suppose the enclosed brief note must have been written by you to me over a quarter of a century ago. You were meditating “Dreadnoughts” even then and finding in me the opposition on the ground of “the degradation of our other Ironclads” through the introduction of the “18-knot ‘Nonsuch.’” I have said to you before that I love a man who knows his own mind, and insists on getting his way. I have therefore no complaint to make. In a note dated two days earlier I see you say, “Bother the money! if we are all agreed that will be forthcoming.” And they accuse you of cheeseparing and starving the Navy! It was I that stood for economy--see enclosed, on the principal events affecting and indicating Naval Policy, 1866–1884, drawn up by me for Mr. Campbell-Bannerman. See also the other side of me in a letter to the Peace Society People, and see a little hymn written for children to “Russian National Anthem” and now widely sung. With sincere respect and good wishes, Yours always, (Signed) NATHANIEL BARNABY. Please return your note to me; nothing else. [Illustration: SIR JOHN FISHER AT THE HAGUE PEACE CONFERENCE, MAY, 1899.] This was the old letter of mine which he enclosed:-- _From Lord Fisher to Sir N. Barnaby in 1883._ _January 25th._