Records, by Admiral of the Fleet, Lord FisherFisher, John Arbuthnot Fisher, Baron
History
Records, by Admiral of the Fleet, Lord Fisher
Fisher, John Arbuthnot Fisher, Baron
Admirals -- Great Britain -- Biography; Fisher, John Arbuthnot Fisher, Baron, 1841-1920; Great Britain. Royal Navy
I suppose the world will never again see such a sight--a line
of 14 heavy, modern, capital ships, with their guns fore and
aft in securing position, in perfect order and keeping good
station, quietly giving themselves up without a blow or a
murmur. Surely such a humiliating and ignominious end could
never have been even thought of in all history past or present.
Had I been in a private ship I would have used every endeavour
to get you up to see the final fulfilment of your life’s work.
As it is, I can’t think it was very gracious of the authorities
not to have ensured your presence. But history will give you
your due.
Forgive this effusion, and please don’t bother to answer it.
But _I_ realise that to-day’s victory was yours, and it is
iniquitous that you were not here to see it.
Your affectionate and devoted admirer,
----.
_To Lord Fisher from Admiral Moresby._
FAREHAM,
_July 9th, 1918_.
DEAR OLD FRIEND,
Just a line. One of our “Article writing” Admirals sent me
one of them on the progress of the war! Your name was not
mentioned, nor your services alluded to! I returned it,
saying it was the play without Hamlet. You might be wrong,
or despised, but you could not be _ignored_. With our Navy
revolutionised, Osborne created, obsolete cruisers scrapped,
naval base shifted from Portland to Rosyth, Dreadnoughts and
Battle Cruisers invented, Falkland Islands victory, and so on,
he might as well talk of Rome without Cæsar. He replied and
said you were an Enigma, and that covered it all! There is some
truth in this, for such are all born leaders of men, from our
Master, the greatest Enigma of all (who made thee thyself, who
gave thee power to do these things), down to all who can see
what is going on on the other side of the hill....
Yours ever,
(Signed) J. MORESBY.
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
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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