A JEU D’ESPRIT 98 CHAPTER VIII NAVAL WAR STAFF AND ADMIRALTY CLERKS 102 CHAPTER IX RECAPITULATION OF DEEDS AND IDEAS 113 CHAPTER X APOLOGIA PRO VITA SUA 134 CHAPTER XI NELSON 158 CHAPTER XII LETTERS TO LORD ESHER 165 CHAPTER XIII AMERICANS 221 CHAPTER XIV SOME SPECIAL MISSIONS 229 CHAPTER XV SOME PERSONALITIES 242 CHAPTER XVI THINGS THAT PLEASE ME 272 EPILOGUE 281 INDEX 287 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS LORD FISHER, 1917--ADMIRAL OF THE FLEET _Frontispiece_ _Facing page_ KING EDWARD VII. AND LORD FISHER 16 SIR JOHN FISHER IN “RENOWN,” 1897 33 SIR JOHN FISHER AND LORD ROBERTS, 1906 48 THE KINGFISHER 65 THE FIRST SEA LORD. BY WILLIAM NICHOLSON 80 ADMIRAL OF THE FLEET LORD FISHER, G.C.B., O.M., etc. 1917 97 AGE 14.--MIDSHIPMAN 112 AGE 19.--LIEUTENANT 129 1885.--AGE 41.--POST-CAPTAIN 144 1904.--AGE 63.--ADMIRAL 161 THE FUNERAL OF KING EDWARD VII. 192 THE ANNIVERSARY OF TRAFALGAR 209 AMERICA AND THE BLOCKADE 224 SIR JOHN FISHER AT THE HAGUE PEACE CONFERENCE, MAY, 1899 256 COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE MEDITERRANEAN FLEET, 1899–1902 273 MEMORIES CHAPTER I KING EDWARD VII King Edward had faith in me, and so supported me always that it is only natural I should begin this book with the remarks about him which I privately printed long since for use at my death; but events have occurred to alter that decision and induce me to publish this book. There are more intimate touches than those related here, which I forbear to publish. There is a limit to those peculiar and pregnant little exhibitions of a kind heart’s purpose being put in print. They lose their aroma. In the _Dictionary of National Biography_ there is a Marginal Heading in the Life of King Edward as follows: