Admiral Jellicoe Part 2

Dartmouth is noted for three things--its c.o.c.kles and plums from Dittisham, its orchards and its annual Regatta, which in Jellicoe's day was famous throughout the world.

The author has it from the best authority that young Jellicoe joined in some of the successful raids on the aforesaid orchards, that he tasted and approved of Dittisham plums and c.o.c.kles, and it is more than likely that he attended the Regatta, which, from a boy's point of view, as well as that of many grown-ups, was most attractive as a Fair.

At the end of Jack Jellicoe's first year on the _Britannia_ he showed his instructor and his fellow-cadets the kind of stuff of which he was made. He was quiet, una.s.suming, yet always ready for work, and equally ready to take his place in the cricket eleven, or to put in a little practice in the field between the goal-posts. When he came out at the head of his rivals in the examinations, and got first for every examination that it was possible for him to pa.s.s, he must have occasioned no inconsiderable surprise.

Next year much the same thing happened, though, at the same time, Jellicoe began to develop a _penchant_ for left-hand bowling. He was useful with an oar, too. On the _Britannia_ every kind of game was encouraged among the cadets. Of course swimming, shooting, rowing, sculling and the "gym" came under part of the curriculum. A cadet need not play cricket or football, but he would probably have a bad time if he did not. If he wished, he got his chance at tennis and racquets and bowls; athletic sports were, of course, held regularly.

Besides the time-honoured paper chase, the _Britannia_ had a pack of beagles, of which the lieutenant was generally master; the pack is still in existence to-day. The hounds met, during the season, once or twice a week, hunting the hillsides, and along the open country from the cliffs beyond Kingswear, inland, for several miles. Only the master is mounted, and sometimes he dispenses with his horse; everyone else is on foot, and, as a cadet remarked, "You have to be pretty nippy if you want to be in at the death."

Amidst such surroundings, on one of the oldest ships belonging to His Majesty on the bosom of England's most beautiful river, John Rushton Jellicoe's character was developed. At the age of thirteen he found himself afloat--and he has kept afloat ever since. His ship has in very truth been his home, for he has always been actively engaged, and never known--perhaps never wanted--a real rest or a proper holiday.

Of course Jellicoe pa.s.sed out of the _Britannia_ just as he had pa.s.sed into her--first of his year by over a hundred marks. During the period he was on board as midshipman he took nearly all the prizes--though he was only allowed to keep a selection. But the future Admiral of the Fleet was not after prizes. He possessed what an old boatswain aptly described as _a hungry brain_. It is rather surprising that he never suffered from mental dyspepsia, since in his desire for knowledge he was absolutely avaricious. In his examination as sub-lieutenant a few years later, he took no fewer than three "firsts."

It was not very long before Jellicoe saw active service. He was appointed to H.M.S. _Agincourt_ in 1881, and was present at the bombardment of Alexandria. This was in July of 1882, just after the attacks made on the Europeans in Alexandria, for which Ahmed Arabi was held responsible. Arabi was then Prime Minister and leader of the Rebellion against the English. It was he who had heavy guns mounted on the forts and ordered earthworks to be thrown up for their protection.

It is interesting to remember that Kitchener was in Egypt at this time, on furlough. He, of course, saw that a conflict was inevitable; and when the great exodus of foreigners from the town took place he remained behind.

But his furlough expired and he was due to return home. He applied for an extension, and obtained it. Meanwhile, the British battleships waited outside beyond the harbour, among them the _Agincourt_, with young Jellicoe on board. Arabi continued to strengthen the defences of Alexandria and to pour troops into the town.

On July the 10th Arabi received the British Ultimatum; the guns of the Fleet were trained on the fortifications, and steamers crowded with people crept out of the harbour, Kitchener on one of them. A few hours later the first shot was fired by one of the English boats--and Jellicoe received his baptism of fire.

The enemy's guns were soon silenced, and Arabi withdrew his forces inland. But a terrible ma.s.sacre took place in Alexandria; houses were pillaged and burnt. Eventually a force of bluejackets and Marines was landed from the Fleet and order was restored.

Of course Arabi and his followers retreated. It was realized a big force would be required to suppress him, and an expedition was fitted out under the command of Sir Garnet Wolseley, and Kitchener (whose extension of furlough had again expired, and who ought to have returned to England) got his chance.

So it happened that thus early in their careers the two men, Lieutenant Kitchener, R.E., and Lieutenant Jellicoe, R.N., in whose hands, jointly, now rests the safety of the British Empire and the welfare of the world, saw War for the first time and fought for the first time together.

For Jellicoe, after taking part in the bombardment of Alexandria, was fortunate enough to accompany the Naval Brigade which was landed and marched with Wolseley's troops on Cairo, and fought at Tel-el-Kebir, where Arabi had strongly entrenched his men.

The odds against the British forces were about two to one, but early in September a decisive victory was gained by us, and Arabi's army routed. For his share in this action Lieutenant Jellicoe was awarded the Egyptian Medal and the Khedive's Bronze Star.

It is not recorded whether Jellicoe and Kitchener ever met on the battlefield, or, if they did, whether they ever spoke. For then, as now, both were men of few words.

"He is great," Colonel Taylor said afterwards of Kitchener, "and he is clever."

"He don't waste words," was a bluejacket's criticism of Jellicoe, "but when he does speak, he hits the mark every time."

Kitchener remained in Egypt--where he was fated to accomplish the first portion of his life's work for the Empire. Jellicoe returned to England, and we next hear of him at the Royal Naval College at Greenwich, where he showed that his "mental appet.i.te" was far from satiated. He won the 80 special prize for Gunnery Lieutenants; this was a significant moment in his career. As the world knows, British Naval Gunnery is unrivalled. It was Jellicoe who helped to place it in the enviable position it now holds.

After leaving Greenwich, Jellicoe served on H.M.S. _Monarch_. It was in May, 1886, while still a lieutenant on this ship, that he nearly lost his life. Sir John Jellicoe has had three very narrow escapes, and this was the first.

The _Monarch_, which had been lying off Gibraltar, went out for target practice. A stiff breeze was blowing and dirty weather was experienced. Soon a heavy sea got up, and presently the _Monarch_ sighted a ship in difficulties; she turned out to be a cargo steamer from Glasgow, the _Ettrickdale_, and was fast on the rocks, with the waves breaking over her and threatening to knock her to pieces. The _Monarch_ had only taken one cutter out with her, her smallest; but her Commander asked for volunteers to man it, so that an attempt should be made to rescue the crew of the shipwrecked boat.

There did not seem to be much chance of the small cutter living in such an angry sea; but this was the kind of job which appealed to Lieutenant Jellicoe, who was one of the first to volunteer, and he was given command of the crew.

With seven seamen he started on his desperate--almost hopeless--enterprise. Though the cutter was splendidly managed, she capsized before the _Ettrickdale_ could be reached, and Jellicoe was struggling with his men in the boiling waters.

Marvellous to relate, not a life was lost. More dead than alive, they all managed to reach the sh.o.r.e. For this attempt at saving life Jellicoe received a medal. It was given him by the Board of Trade. But he was not allowed to keep it very long, for he lost it when, in 1887, he went down with the _Victoria_. Fortunately for England and her Empire, Jellicoe came up again--but his silver medal did not.

Presumably the Board of Trade must have heard of the terrible accident which cost England so many valuable lives and horrified the whole world; but the officials did not offer to replace Jellicoe's lost medal, and when he wrote and asked if they could obligingly supply him with a duplicate, he received a formal reply that he could have one if he chose to pay for it.

Up to the present we believe that he has not "paid," and so probably he is without the silver medal he first won for gallantry. Perhaps the Board of Trade is still debating whether it would be justified in going to the expense of providing the Admiral of the British Fleet with another.

Mrs. Jellicoe, Sir John's mother, possesses an interesting little souvenir in the telegram which Jellicoe sent after he had been rescued, announcing that he was safe--

"_Quite safe terrible affair love Jack_."

This simple message naturally brought great joy and relief to his father's and mother's hearts. And now the Nation confidently awaits, with Sir John Jellicoe's family, the receipt at any moment of another telegram almost similarly worded--

"_Quite safe splendid affair love Jack!_"

CHAPTER IV

THE SINKING OF THE "VICTORIA"

For a short time Jellicoe served as Gunnery-Lieutenant on the _Colossus_, and then he was appointed Junior Staff Officer of the _Excellent_ gunnery establishment, under the command of Lord Fisher--then Captain.

This meeting between the two men was fortunate for the Junior Officer.

Fisher at once marked down Jellicoe as useful, and so, a few years later, when he was Director of Naval Ordnance at the Admiralty, it came to pa.s.s that Jellicoe joined Fisher there as his a.s.sistant.

It was just subsequent to this appointment when Jellicoe was, we believe, serving as first lieutenant on board the _Sans Pareil_, that the German Emperor during the Naval Review put in an appearance with the powerful vessels of his new and comparatively small Navy. Needless to say, both the Kaiser and his officers, together with their ships, were of the greatest interest to our men.

When the Review was over numerous were the discussions and fierce the arguments which centred around William the Second and his little fleet. Everyone present from Junior to Senior had something to say, some criticism to make.

Everyone except Lieutenant John Jellicoe. He kept his mouth shut and his eyes open, and he expressed no opinion either on the Kaiser, his officers or his ships.

Jellicoe only spent about three years at the Admiralty as Fisher's a.s.sistant, but it was quite enough for the authorities to realize that he was an efficient and clever officer--a man who knew how to organize. Captain Fisher found his services invaluable, and as an "a.s.sistant" Jellicoe served him faithfully.

Jellicoe would probably be the first to admit that during the comparatively short time he spent at the Admiralty under Fisher he acc.u.mulated a vast amount of knowledge. A friendship sprung up between the two men, born of respect. Both were enthusiasts; both loved the Service keenly. Both were ambitious--not for themselves. Neither sought personal aggrandizement. Their ambitions were n.o.ble. It was natural that both, later on, should meet with opposition. It was inevitable that the opposition should be overcome.

A greater contrast than the two men make--the "Little Admiral" and the "Big Admiral"--it would be difficult to find. Physically, Fisher is of the bulldog breed beloved of the public. The moment he enters a room you are conscious of his presence. "Jacky" Fisher exudes vitality; it surrounds him as a perfume surrounds a pretty woman. He carries it about with him. His figure is robust; he stands with feet wide apart and firmly planted. He is very straight up and down; his face is nearly the colour of mahogany; a large mouth, almost brutal until he smiles, when it becomes a veritable cavern of humour, and aggressive eyes that nevertheless shine and almost sparkle beneath big bushy brows; his hair is silver grey; his hands are t.i.tanic and generally hang loosely by his side, suggestive, and ready for action.

Physically, the difference between the two men is the difference between a small smooth-haired terrier and one of Major Richardson's Irish police dogs. Mentally, there is not much difference, and events have proved that both possess the same instincts.

One is the Dreadnought instinct; another, the faith that in action you must "hit quickly, hit hard, and keep on hitting." A third instinct might be called the instinct of Silence. They have never attempted to emulate Lord Charles Beresford or Sir Edward Carson in discharging fierce literary broadsides.

Jellicoe was gazetted a Commander in 1891; after leaving the _Sans Pareil_ he was appointed to the _Victoria_, then one of our largest battleships, sister ship (though of later date) to the _Camperdown_.

It was while he was her Commander that the accident happened during manoeuvres off Tripoli, on the Syrian Coast.

This was his second marvellous escape from death; all the more remarkable since Jellicoe was on the sick list, confined to his cabin with a sharp attack of Malta fever. The ship went down twenty minutes after she was struck, and twenty-two officers and three hundred and fifty men were drowned.

This was the most terrible disaster that has happened to the British Fleet in times of peace since the _Royal George_ foundered one night, close to sh.o.r.e, and disappeared beneath the waves with her entire crew, including the brave Kempenfeldt.

The _Victoria_ was the flagship of Vice-Admiral Sir George Tryon, Commander of the Mediterranean Fleet. The ships left Beyrout early in the morning of June the 22nd, 1893; they steamed in line abreast to the Syrian Coast, when the order was given to change their formation into two columns, line ahead, with an interval of six cables. The starboard column was headed by the _Victoria_ under Tryon, and the port column by the _Camperdown_ under Rear-Admiral Markham.