A LITERARY CORNER

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10521, 24 February 1920, Page 7

A LITERARY CORNER

(R.A.L.) "BECORDS." j Fisher. (Hoddcr and Stoughton, London.) '

Lord Fisher of Kilverstone has sup- ! plementod his "Memories" published in October, 1018, y the publication in tho fallowing December of these "Records." His "main purpose," he declanes in his "Preamble" to the latter work, is to confirm what has been already written in the) other work. As to the nature "of this confirming he deals briefly and luminously with it m tho prefaco which follows. "I mention these matters," says he. "to prove the effete, apathetic, indecisive, vacillating conduct of tho war—the war eventually being won by an effective blockade." Tho object is cicar. Tho Navy the Navy alone, and that in spite ot the universal blundering of all other departments, won tho war. The Records" that follow go further—for thoy contain suggestions that if certain things advocated by Sir John Fisher—tho aforesaid baron—had been done tho war would have been won very much sooner. .. In following the course of criticism ono has to make allowance for the Fisher temperament. It is at the eanie time necessary to remember that it is impossible to extend, even to. a critic of fallibilities, a patent of infallibility to any scheme that nevor-got Beyond the paper plan. Nevertheless, there is one valuable service for wniob these two books of the Admiral can he credited. It' is the clear, description of tho vast improvement, effected in the British Navy by Admiral Fisher s reforms. These led the world before the war, and without them, so striking is the mere list of them, the war would certainly have been lost. "What von Tirpitz was to the keyman Navy Lord Fisher was to British. This as to results. Thenrespective services were different, tor von Tirpitz created the German Navy while Lord Fisher rescued the British from death by inanition. The Fisher Btory is admirably told in these books. The first, "The Memories," we reviewed some few weeks back. Of the Records" we have to say that they have Ihe same qualities of thoroughness, humour, downrightness, and the same faults (if they are faults) of abruptness and uncompromising denunciation of opponents. But, however this may be, these books, showing as they do, the great service of this Admiral to the Navy, are a most valuable and timely contribution to history - In those "Records" wo got a fairly full description of the project which the Admiral put forward early in the warin the autumn of 1914—for a great Btrategio stroke for victory. He obtained from a friend a memorandum simply outlining the campaign- of the Seven- Years' "War, which would, but for the sudden change of policy adopted by the Empress Catherine of Russia after the murder of her husband, the Czar Peter, have ended in his destruction. This is the outline. Frederic successfully kept his enemies at bay by striking at their forces east and west as he chose —having good interior communications—kept them at bay though vastly superior in the aggregate. His weak point was the Baltic coast to the. north, and be begged his British ally* to send a fleet to cover that coast. This request was refused, and one day a Russian fleet appeared, seized several ports and landed a Russian army for a direct stroke at Berlin. Thus surrounded, with his enemies closing on all sides, Frederic waß within an ace of destruction. At this moment tho Revolution in Russia which deposed the Czar Petor and placed his consort Catherine 11. on the throne occurred. Catherine made peace with U'rederic, called off the Russian crmies, and Frederio won the war.

Admiral Fisher based his Baltio project on that war story. His plan was to force hia way into tho Baltio with the "Grand Fleet, defeat the German High Sea Fleet, and land a great Russian army within 80 miles of Berlin. Ho guaranteed success, and declared that the stroke at the heart of Germany would bring down the German Umpire. Ho had built battleships for th purpose, and he built and: collected 300 transports for the conveyance of the Russian army. But the British Government determined on tho Gallipoli campaign, and the Baltic project was dropped, much to Fisher's disgust. Hence his curious behaviour during the Gallipoli episode, as disclosed by the report of the Royal Commission, and his subsequent resignation of the position of First Sea Lord. We have not, of course, heard the last of the matter, but enough is horo disclosed to give a new interest to the history of the great war. Enough also, to give further point to Lord fisher's insistent criticism "that the Fleet was kept in cotton wool" throughout tho war for want of initiative.

The "Records" also disclose that Fisher supported Lord French in his proposal to move along the coast towards Antwerp, with the support of the Grand Fleet. The proposal was turned down, was one of "the causes of French's retirement, as the proposal did not fit in with the French military plans, and its fato of course redoubled the acrimony of Fisher's cri ticisms of the conduct of the war. Like Tirpitz ho had set his heart on the more active use of the fleet, and like him he was disappointed, though, as he himself admits, the blockading operations of the Navy won the war. As we have said, the most valuable part of the "Records" is the light they throw on all the Fisher reforms, without which the Navy would certainly not have proved the great decisive factor in the war. It is noteworthy in this connection that Fisher believed for years that Germany would make war, and predicted the dato for the autumn of 1914, proof of which is given in this boolo The reforms, as set forth in this list, compiled by the lato "VV. T. Stead and published among the "Records," make wonderful reading. And 'there is a chapter on Democracy which will appeal to all who wish well to the British Empire. "SOUTH." Sir E. Shackloton. (JETeinemann, London.) Tho Shackleton expedition, notable for its exceptionally adventurous character, has now its book chronicle. It is an attractive chronicle, beautifully illustrated, remarkable for tho simplicity of its narrative and some valuable appendices, of which tho best, perhaps, -ie Mr Clark's exhaustive monograph on the whalo fisheries of the Antarctic. To tho ordinary reader, howrcr, and tho lover of adventure, the personal experiences make tho surpass-

ing attraction of the book. The wreck of tho Endurance; tho long drilt ot her companv on tho ice; the boat voyago from Elephant Island to South Georgia, 800 miles in the hugo Antarctic seas—those stand out in great prominence. Tho first of these borders on the miraculous. At every hna of tho narrative ono wonders how these napless castaways escaped death among tho grinding, roaring forces which <legtroved their ship. One stands amazed at their cool preparation for lite in the open, with tents and sleeping-bags and a limited food supply, lo read their consultations about the island thov will land on and tho seas they will traverse 'with tho three boats thoy drag with them on sledges from camp to camp in that dreary world, just as though they wore discussing a trip in some well-found yacht in tho Mediterranean, is to wander still more. Ihe incidents, by the way, never permit any abatement of the feeling. Death is near with ontstrotchod hand at every turn, and they keep the even tenor of their life regardless. Midnight storms break tho ico open under their tents,; men get separated iroin men; men get separated from stores and boats and dogs. But tho drift goes on steadily; tho sun gives them their position; there is an ebb and (low of their course which they study bv the light of small knowledge; is'land after island, they are carried past, and still hope' is tho anchor of their drifting fortunes. . When thoy reach the edges of the pack, and the wind and sea begin to knock them about 'they hang to that anchor, working with wary oyes and labouring muscles. .Elephant Island bars tho way of their boats at last, .a bad landing in front, with a small ledgo under great cliffs, and a mountainous sea behind. They get there; they find a cave over their ledge; they get their boats hauled up; and they consult as if they were in a comfortable town and talking about the "shortest cut from ono part of its smooth sheltered streets to another.

The intrepid captain, who has kept the heart in them, announces he will go to South Georgia and bring them help. He and they "treat it as a matter of course. The carpenter puts a frail cover of boards and canvas over the 20-foot whaler, they stow provisions, three men go aboard with the skipper,'and the boat goes away with the assurance of a great liner leaving the wharves of .civilisation. Thus begins the 800-mile "run"—just a run! Great galea swept the face of the sea sending water against them in mountains. ''lce mast, high came floating by as green as emerald," and it "grew wondrous cold." The watoh on deck sits in the well, the watch below seeks sleep under tho thwarts among the ballast, and the seal meat and the water jars. Sometimes they trust to a sea anchor in a hurricane sea, and when tho rope breaks and there is no more except that anchor of hope, they lie-*o with a rag of sail, a mere pocket handkerchief, beguiling tho timo with thanks to old "chips,* who put up those covering boards and tho canvas. Often a sea breaks over, them, and as oftensthey bale for their lives, and always they are cheerful, making progress with oar or sail at every opportunity. It is fine Steering' and handling of the best. Thoy get over the 800 miles, they find a landing, tho captain climbs the cliff with a. hand, the "pair traverse the mountains and glaciers of tho island, and descend on the whaling settlement. Thus ends the most wonderful boat voyage over voyaged. As wonderful is the determination of the to save his marooned comrades. Ship after ship he gets for the purpose of going as far as Chile. Ships of iron fail him because they cannot face ice. Ships of wood are. baulked by the thickness of the horrible drifting Pack. But he is a cap- ' tain who never says die, and when he gets to itiho .marooned comrades and their ledge, they tell him th&it they know it, and wero quite sure of him. A marvellous talo of tho sea it is.

That was the party that was to have attacked the South Polo from the Weddel Sea. The fortunes of tho par., ty, which was to have done so from MoMurdo Sound aro told by another pen, and in them too, is a fine_ s'tory of endurance. When these parties get back, they go to tho war, at once in various capacities" and distinguish themselves. Some fall in the war, and four fell in the Antarctio wilds. The intrepid captain does not forget them. To them he dedicates his book. "To my. comrades who fell in the white warfare of the south, and on the red fields of France and Flanders."