SIR G. ARMSTRÔNG'ON THE
NAVY,
THE ADMIRALTY AND THE BACON LETTERS.
THE HONGKONG DAILY PRESS, SATURDAY, JUNE 26TH, 1909.
Government's wishes, and that was the question 22222222222222222
Bellairs always an incompetent officer'; if that Service a type of officer entirely foreign to its of everybody effect could be given to the was known in the Hous he would be measured history and traditious, a tortaons, dogmatic,
which for soune timo ha found great difficulty accordingly.
scheming type of officer typo which if it is allowed to exist, will gradually spread into the in solving. Towards the end of last year he, Navy like a deadly miasma, supping its blood in company with Mr. Higgins, interviewed and destroyia its very life, I appeal to you as the Secretary of State for War in Washington, to whom the Philippine Government whe Englishmen aud Englishwomen to spare no
to responsible, ant the following solution effort to support those who are striving to sweep out of our Navy this state of affairs which was proposed. It was to divide the original is poisoning its very existence. What you have concession which the American company held to remember is that Nelson won Trafalgar and info two, the first part boing the northern saved this country from Fronch domination, system, unguaranteed with two exceptions, the was supplied with a certain number of ships guaranteed, and there was to be included in the and guns, but because he had around him what southern systems account of the gruamater be described as a band of brothers, and if when the extorsion from Camp No. 1 to Bagula, the the grout day comes those who are conducting oar Navy have not around than a land of brothers, then God help this country. (Cheers.)
Centre Party Union. Mr. Auruun E. BURTON dining with the Skinners to-morrow, and hope and Europe from ruin, not morely because he second part being in the south, which was to bo
I did not know it had been proposed to make a change over of duties between the pre- sent young excentive and young engineer oficorn.
"I had a nice talk with Colonel Bor, R.M.A. Sir George Armstrong addressed a large
to-night; real whole ran he is not meeting of the Navy League hell last month at broken-hearted, BA Lord Goschen described all the Kensington Town Hall, under the ausyjethe rines, in the Blouse of Lords: I am of the Middle Classes Defence Organization, presided; and anong those present were Com. to have a chance of giving tongue. Tudor Crutchlay, dr. Henry Andrews, and Admiral Biomed.
SIR GEORGE ALDISTRONG dealt with the navel policy from the points of view of the ship. building programms of the Government and the preparation of the country for He said that the Government had not their promises into practice. Indood, they had not only abandoned the two-Power standard now, but had deliberately abandoned that standard from the moment that they came inte office. Instead of looking to see what our
war.
you.
**I was speaking at thres meetings in Lan cashire last week. I muutioned your wine at all, and the audionee cheered, as they always do,
with There's no doubt the country is s
"Criticism is all very well and may do good, bat in the cad one has to decide which is the party to trust the ucisy objectors, or the man behind the scores who is responsible and work- ing, for the good of the servleo, and therefore for tits country's bonefit.
FitzGerald has been well answered by Vincil Veritas' in Naval and Military Record,
W. F. S. Mann."
MANILA RAILWAY COMPANY
(1906) (LIMITED).
all wilitional line in Manila, and the long line of 135 miles in the south. That was tho proposal, and it met with the approval of the ecretary of State in Washington, and it bad since been confirmed by the Philippine Govern ment, and now only awaited the passing of the resolutions before them to put the Secretary of Slate at Washington in a position to sign the altered concessions, and then the matter become law. The northern, or unguaranteed system.
garantoed system, would consist of 465 miles, covering a guarantee of 4 per cent. on the capital' for 30 years, that guarantee being given by the Philippine Government with the authority of
opponents were doing we hail aggod in March 29. Do real it. Yours sincerely; Debenture Stock and Bonds was held last i would consist of 351 miles, and the southern, or
race with the result that the chief rmaer in the race outside ourselves now stood a good chance of overtaking ns. The action of the Government for the future was based on-
efforts during the past year and the year before, John Fisher had himself circulated this letter is proposed to be made to the Manilu í
rate-
A meeting of the hollery of the A and B
month, at Winchester House, ta consider resolu tions making variations in the provisions of the trust deed, dato May 9, 1907, between the
and authorizing the trustees to take all accessary | the United States Congress.
with a view to making effective the grant
erncient of the Philippine Islands of an amended Railroad Company of Now Jetway by the Gov concession for the enlargement of that congny's projected railway system in the island of Luzon, and the construction of such enlarged system and division thereof, into two portions to be known respectively as the northern lines and the southern lines, and for other purposes. Mr.C. J. CATER SCITT (Chairman of the Company occupied the chair.
The Secretary (Mr. J. Mackenzie) read the hotica convening the meeting.
THE COMPANY'S PROSPECTS. Having dealt with the improved position of the holders of this A and B bouds under the bonded concession, he said there was every reason to hope that their full interest would be out of revenue without their having to charge anything more to capital, aut he also boloved there was very good reason to think that within the next your or two they would be earning substantial dividends for the preferency shareholders. He mentioned, in conclusion, that at the request of the Merchants Trust the indenture huil been altered so us to provide that if the company sold any of the A ant B boude over and aborn the arierant at present issued the money bad eventually to go into the northern stom. It was earmarked for the northern lines, and he thought that was a very proper precaution.
Admiral Sir Cyprian Bridge seconded the resolutions, which, after a short discussion, were carried; the holders of the a's and B's rating soparately
Several of the paragraphs in the letter, were received with lond laughter
Continuing, SIE GEORGE ARMST ONG asked. the monstrous assumption that Germany, al. What does this extraordinary letter reveal? In company and the Marchants' Trust (Lásulted), the first pince, it shows beyond cavil that Str though she had on patting forward enormous
from Captain. Pacon, and if Mr. McKenna had was suck in the race and could not go on as sho had been going, and it was prepexternas in examined the official ile for himself, as he ought suggest that, whereas has liud laid down to have done, he must have scon this letter, and eight battleships in the past 12 months, or fun it was that the letter had left the Admiralty, Therefore, either Mr. she was going to lay down night in the next. To trust to such a suggestion was absolutely Mckenna grossly misled the House of Commons or ssir John Fisher misled him. And Me suicidal on our part. (Cheore.) Now our mari- tims supremacy was challenged, and instead of Mekeena will please explain to the House of taking the two-Power standard the Government Contions which is the guilty party (Chcers) to the second place, Mr. McKenna will could scarcely claim a one-Power standard. That was a situation which they should not have to explain why this absolutely worth- permit to exist for another day if they could less epistle was published at the
payers expense. (Langhter) Only from Sir
The CHAIRMAN, in moving the formal resolu present it. Gur position with regard to Joan Fisher's point of view can it be looked Lions, said that there were present, either by cruisers was a very dangerous one indent, and so perilous was our position with regard to docks, apex of any value at all, because it contains proxy or in person, £1,062,300 of a bonds and list if there was anything in this conntry to most offensive referances to two most distin- £1,388,000 of B. bonds, so he declared the keep a man awake and thinking., it was that guished officers-Lord Charles Beresford and misting properly constituted. The object of Sir Hodworth Laubten. It contains also a question of docks and accommodation for our
reiterated" bel on Mr. Belairs and a fulsome the meeting wis really to amend the trust deed between the Merchants Trust, as trusters of the ships.
piece of adulation of the man who published it A and B debenture bonds, and the Idanila And circulates it. What adjectires are most
Railway Company? The amendment
was appropriate to the rest of the letter I leate to
necessary in consequence of vertain_arrange the imagination of the audience. At any rate meute which were proposed to, the Philippine
An extraordinary general meeting of the I think Mr. McKenna will have some consider as diffulty in describing this epistle
Government, and which had now been confirmed company was afterwards held, at which resolu by them, aterially altering the old concession tions were proposed approving the pended (Laughter.) In the which was the basis on which the A and Broncession. The Chairman said that the remarkably good one. third place, this letter shows in the most bonds were issued. The concession as, aquezided arrangement want riot in any way put back the had his attention particularly drawn by his and these, in the opinion of all who had stadied on date when they could expect a dividend, unmistakable manner that Sir John Fisher would practically be divided into two concessions, preferent and ordinary shareholders; ou the be bolieved that it would bring nearer correspondent to the offensive passage in the the mantier, were so manifestly in the interests the date
Bacon lotter hear, hoar), and yet, in
I the of recommended their acceptance. The alterations dividend. In these circumstances be considered spite of his attention having been specially of the bondholders that the directors strongly and probably tend to increase the amount
the arrangement to be, manifestly in the draws to it, he reiterated the libel by pablish in the concession would in no way select the stand ing it again as an ale domeni. New ing of the Aoud B debenture-holders toward each interests of all the shareholders. He moved the
want you to remember this in connection with other, nor introduce any questions of preference resolutions. that letter. Do you see the animus, the intense between A and B. debentare-holders and the animus, shown against Mr. Bellairs himself by preference and ordinary shareholders. All those the raitemtion of the libel The sole offence remained exactly before. The alterations in in the First Son Lord's eyes was that he
the concession were of rery far-reaching in- had dared--he had presumed to criticize his
The Manila Railroad Company of ouse of Commons: Mr. Bel-
portance. Aow Jency-which he would call the American lairs uusdle-a-spel-in-the-House of Commons
pine Government covering, in the first place, company-held a concession from the Philip
alition, 436 miles of new roads which the of the old Mania Railway Company and, in American company agreed to construct, making
THE BACON LETTERS,
Passing to the question of our preparation for war, he said that tha responsibility for war depended upon one individual alone the First Seu Lordand he chimed that no JA, however distinguished he might be, could carry out such enormous duties eflciently. It was humanly impossible, and such a position obtained in no other nury in the world, and certainly not in that of our chief rivals, the Germans SIR GEO OF ARMSTRO", continuing, said: The question of the omaan power in the Admiralty brings in its train very many upils, The Navy is essentially a democratio service; It is a service which in its instinets and its traditions and customis is as fren ns are the elements in which it lives." Aud until now it lus never suffered from what I may call the smothering influences.of mitocracy. I have no personal animus against any individust, and in
I have dealing with this question
only one -object-in-view the good of the
have probably seon a rood deal 3ce. You sellemes in the
in the papers about the Bacu letters. When I first
attacking certain schemes of the First Ben
lotter that I have read to-night; appeared. But
BELL, HELLAIRS" LETTER,
&
Admiral Sir Cyprian Bridge secondeil the
resolutions, and they were carried unanimously.
England is the Home of Good Tailoring-
London the Fashion Centre of the World.
Dear Armstrong. I am quite clear in my superintendent of the old English company in JOHN J. M. BULT,
* House of Commons, Tuesday, May 25,
recollection as to what took place before the meeting of Parliament in 1906.
a
Diude known the first Bacon letter, at the Lord, and very soon afterwards the second 211 miles of railway which were the property Constitutional Club I never mentioned Cap what had been going on seven or eight weeks toin Baccu's name at all His actual identity before Mr. Bellairs Ind publicly proclaimed his was of quite mall
importance, but of enormous importance were the principles attitude in the matter? I will tell you from violated by that letter. (Hear, hear.) Yon the pa-of Mr. Bellaire:- have to remenaber that the Navy has always been secustomed to a standard of: discipline, of honour, which perhaps is in a certain senso different from that of the rest of the world, parlaps stricter and a little narrower
Sir Percy Scott came to see me on behalf Amember of Parliament, referring to these letters the other day, said:"Oh there Bacon of Sir John Fisker. He argued that, as I letters. What does it mean. It means that agreed with the Admiralty on certain matters, my officer wrote to the First Bea Lord and conference might lead me to support them on reported about one of his senters. A confidential uthers, Accordingly this took place about 12 letter. Good gracions! That is done in every days before the meeting of Parliament. I saw part of the public service," I said "Thank God, Sir Evan MacGregor, with whom I discussed it has never happened in the Navy before." nothing of importance, then Sir Charles Drury, And what I want you to understand is that if and, finally, Sir John Fisher. With the two that system did exist in other branches of the latter I was quite anable to agree as to the public service, it has never existed in our wilon of Admiralty policy. However, Sir healthy minded Navy. And what is the object Johu Fisher, after our long interview, entrusted of making public this Bacon letter and theme with confidential papers dealing with the other letters? The object is to destroy the whole range of naval policy. In a letter dated system which those letters revealed, and to help February 2, 1906, he said, I have complete the avy to bring itself back to the place it confidence in you, and he asked for written wants to go back to the position it held before comments where you think anything errous
ous. It was after a close study of these papers [Cheers)
that I spoke in the House on March 1, and it is this speech to which reference is made in the printed copy of the curious letter which, in the course of circulation. has come into my poses sine. From the date of that speech I boome target for abuse from all quar ore under Admir alty control or inspiration.
ANOTHER LETTER.
In August, 1907, occurred the incident by which the confidential papers concerning a trifling torpedo bost collision in 1895 were made public by the Admiralty. The matter is not of public importance except in so far as it is typical of Admiralty metals.Yours sincerely, ČARLYON BELLAIнS,"
build
Cash': Tallur,
140, Fenchurch St., London, Eng., hai Special Department in his business for attend. ing to the requirements of those abroad, where the same personal attention is given which he built up his reputation at home. He guarantees the best quality cloth the best styles also.
PRICES are Frock Com and Vest Drew Su S-lined
from da
a total under that concession of 647 miles. In selecting the 36 miles of new road the Ams
AN IMPORTANT SAVING - rican company, who were now comers on the scare, were guided by Mr. Higgins, who was the Can be effected if you sider your clothes boma London. Manila, and whose knowledge of Philippine lines was unique, and they selected the 436 miles. out of a large mileage, thoroughly believing that, they would be from the first commercially rennerative. They might have gone in for a guarantee of interest which, he believed, ther could have had if they had wished, but it was considered, after careful examination, that living lines which would be commercially remunera tive it would be better for them to the line a commercial undertaking untrans melled with Government interference which a guarantee of interest always involved. He did not wish to use these words in anyway hostile to the Philippine Government or to the United States Government, cause they had at all. times received from those bodies every con- siteration, but all who had had any experience in railway matters would know that to carry on the work of a company in a commercial mai it was very much better not to have to work it r subject to question being raised by Gram- ments at almost every point Accordingly they decided, and he thought rightly, that these THE NEW FRENCH REMEDY, linea should be built without a guarante
THE NEW PROPOSALS
HARLEY,
I simil rend to you to night another letter, and the reason I do so is because Mr. McKenna has in his answers in the House of Commons set up what I may best describe as snow, a mischievous standard of naval discipline-a standard of aval discipline which outrages the
Having explained the pcheme under, which- feelings of every officer in the service, from the highest to the lowest (eheers)-a system widah
they had been working up to the present time, has been deliberately fostered under this
ke dealt with the fature. In the days of the old autocratic regime. And I for one shall not leave
English company the Philippine Government the subject alone until I have done my best, as
had been very anxious for them to construct a far as lies.in my power, to show to my country
line from Camy No. 1 to Baguio, which was situated at a very high altitude-about 5,000ft, men the evil condition of things, atul done my
What does that menu? It means that Sir shove the sea-and which enjoved at all times best, as every other naval offer is doing,
sweep away once and for all this wretched John Fisher sed every possible effort to induce of the year a cool, healthy and desirable ellmate. Whilst "Manila, on the sea level, for part of the ta of affairs. I want you to remember Mr: Bellairs to support his schemes in Parlia one or two important facts. The letter I cat, and when he found that he had sufficient, year was hot and distinctly trying, and the am about to read is written by an officer on the independence not to do so well, you know what American Government were most unxions that a retired list, occupying no official position he said. (Laughter.) Now, the Government, art of Philippine Sinds should be created, to which the Government and the official classes whatever-absolutely none at the time he wrote or Mr. McKenna, kus bad the affrontory to
generally could migrate during the hot weather, it; but he was nevertheless a person of socio speak of my publication of this document es a importance in the eyes of the First Sea Lord, breach of confidence. My connection with these He must admit that this scheme would the people, but the because he was obviously employed in the letters is entirely anoficial in every way. They be very beneficial to congenial task of singing his praises all over were in each case handed to me by officers for the company could not originally see their way the country, Remember first that Mr. Me purpose of publication, and when the Admiralty to take it up, because they considered that
would require a guarantee of interest: Then in Keun has stated in the House of Commons, dare to talk of reach of confidence let them ro whon questioned concerning Captain Bacon's member that gross and cruel breach of confidence the second place, the Government were suxious second letter namely, the one in which Mr. which they themselves committed when, for the that there should be direct communication Bolaire was described as always an incompet. sake of throwing ridicule and opprobrium on between the terminus of the north of the line Mr. Bellaire, they handed a Radical 1. P. the mud the port extensions on the south of the city, ent officer, that ur body knows how the letter Joft the Admiralty. Second. Mr. McKenna's idential minutes of a Court of Inquiry into This involved a swingbridge and some other aimumper torpelo-boat collision in which he expensive works, and for that they considored excuse for painting the letters was that they were
was involved. Now, I appeal to you as English that, at any rate at first, they would hac to remarkably good letters (laughter) worth preserving Thirdly, Mr. McKenna gavo and Englishwomen wove their Navy and have a guarantee of interest. The Government as Sir John Fisher's reason for publishing this their country to realize the true significance of bad yet a third proposal that they wished the letter that he was muffering from such stress of
these docunients. Do you think it good that company to consider, and that was in the south. work at the time that he never noticed the our great servico should have its destinies The company's present scheme was to run fron libellous paragraphs in it, and in the rush of controlled by a Government and by a First Manila to Pagbilao and, then, instead of mojnent he let it go through. The test and Sa Lord who are so iest to all considerations carrying on the railway through a certain piece" second Bacon letters and this letter came to me of dignity, of loyalty to the service, and of courtry, they thought it would be cheaper to
naral traditions and sentiment that establish for
& stawer connection with Panca, from three different sources,
and they came to they should allow such grossly offensive doen- linking up there with the railways in the south, me because the officers who landed them to me were filled with horror and disgust at the statements to be circulated among the Fleet, to the which was the great hemp district, and which
of the
most profita of affairs which allowed the existence of such disgrace, indeed. I may say to the borror of they believed would be one
every right-thinking naval officer to whom they parts of the railway. The Government said letters. This is the letter: →
the steamer give an were seat? Look at the animes displayed would like the company to against an officer on the retired list, who was au connection and establish a railway connection the P. and, therefore, independent and out of whole way to join up with the southern system." reach of the First Lord by ordinary He thought the Government was right, but the methods. Think of the effect of this on the board were face to face with the fact that that service. (Hear, He dared conscientiously line would go through a practically undevelopep
Letter from Admiral Mann.
wery
19, Sasser-mansions, South Kensington,
* April 4, 1906. “ Dear Sir John--I have read The Times article of to-day's date on mural training. Grand it should settle the ignoraut and suspicions I wish he had put his name, conclude "he is a good man.
riticize these comes! Think of the affect country, and if they built it they would have to ou those affeers who are subject to authority ask for a guarantee of interest. All these thres and are subject to the pains and penalties which sobomnes were considered to be beneficial to the zulhurity may lupoes. (Cheors.) Look at the public at large; they believed they would be scandalous, back-biting attack made on two beneficial to the country, and they believed most-distinguished officers, and look at the that ultimately they would be for the teneit my mind. Why not have a pamphlet derlingulation of the recipient of the letter himself. of the railway. They know nothing against But that is only what our Nary has had to them except the question of increased liability endure for several years past. It has had that the company would have to assume. View- to endure a system which, if allowed to ing those proposals favourably, the question continue; will eventually being into the that they had to answer was how in the interests
I return Bacon's letter. Capital. I agree with every word, and in glad to think Beresford and Lambton have not poisoned his mind.
The sare fockng as Bucola went through with the whole question of training, and spread it. Bixout? For I feel with him that opposition to the new schome as a whole is no more than ignoráneo. am also ghud to hear his opinion of
Kaich
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