BEATTY AND JELLICOE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22344, 15 February 1936, Page 17

BEATTY AND JELLICOE

Sir, —In answer to the letter concerning Beatty and Jellicoe, the writer evidently knows little or nothing concerning naval matters, especially those in regard to naval movements during the war. The order and discipline of the British Navy is laid down in a code of law called articles of war. One of the articles reads as follows, as near as I can ascertain: "Any man disobeying the lawful commands of his superior officer will be punished . . . Now if Beatty had carried out anyof the exploits as the writer mentions without the authority of the commanderin chief, Lord Jellicoe, Beatty beingonly a vice-admiral, would have been guilty of breaking the articles of war. Again, the writer talks of the loss of ships and many lives. War cannot be conducted without loss of both, and the British Government does not usually honour its heroes for wilfully endangering the lives of men or destruction of its costly ships. Yet, after Jutland, Beatty was highly honoured by the British Government, for Jellicoe was recalled to London, and Beatty, the youngest admiral in the British .Navy, was made commander-in-chief, jumping over the heads of senior admirals at the most critical stage of the war. Such an honour was only bestowed on one occasion previously, to Lord Nelson. Be Sensible.