A FAMOUS VICTORY

Evening Star, Issue 16185, 5 August 1916, Page 3

A FAMOUS VICTORY

It was a summer evening. Old Bethmann's beer was done, And lie, before the sandy chore, Was sitting in the sun, Instruct ins:—for the hundredth time— His grandson Fritz Von Hoggenhoim. "Twas where the German Ocean rears Its crests of snowy foam, "We met and beat the British Fleet, And then retreated home. We bolted like the deuce," said he, " After that famous victory. " When things wero looking very blue, A shoreward courso we shaped; We lost about a score of ships, But all the rest escaped, And, in unconquerable pride, Made for a port in which to hido. "A world of human pity filled Our nobie admiral's rnlnd, And so he broke the action off And left the foe behind. We_ always act like that," said he, " After a famous victory. "Jn our communiques we made "So indiscreet remark, For we had cautiously resolved To keep our losses dark— A course invariably applied By people on the winning side. "And after that the beaten foe Blockaded all our ports, And ran ns short of 'meat and bread, And goeds of various sorts. Such things as this must always be After a famous victory.'' "But why did we allow them to?" The artless Fritz inquired. " Because they had so strong a fleet They did as they desired. Such cruel things must always bo Whilo brutal Britain rules "the sea." " But. grandpapa," said liltlo Fritz, " If we had really won, Why did not Prussia rule the sea, As Britain once had done?" "Oh. shut your silly mouth!'' said he; "It was a famous victory." —Horace Wyatt, 'Daily Chronicle'