ADMIRAL BRIDGEMAN.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 100, 23 December 1912, Page 6

ADMIRAL BRIDGEMAN.

! AN ACRIMONOUS DEBATE. (By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) Press Association.) London, December 20. In tho House of Commons Lore Beresford-accused Mr Churchill of assuming executive equally with administrative functions. 'Phis was exompliffed by tho Sidney street riot. Similarly at the Admiralty he interfered and took charge during the manoeuvres. ' s Mr Churchill said that this was absolutely untrue. “No orders or instructions,” he said, “directly or indirectly, were sent by me.” Lord Beresford: “Taking charge’' is a naval expression. Ton prohaoly don’t understand. Mr Bonar Law remarked that Admiral Bridgman interpreted Mr Churchill’s first letter as making it optional for him to resign. He replied, “Well enough, continue.” Then came Mr Churchill’s second most insulting letter, intimating that the resignation was already arranged. Mr Churchill read the whole correspondence, whereupon Mr Bonar Law remarked: “Had 1 received a letter like the second I would have considered myself brutally ill-used.” The subject then dropped, and the House adjourned until January 30. PRESS CRITICISM. London, December 21. The Times declares that Mr Churchill’s frank statement on the Bridgman case should prove conclusive. '1 lie subject had been overlaid by prejudice and confused by all sorts of unworthy insinuations. The Daily Mail says that Mr Churchill’s speech dissipates all suspicions. It dealt vigorously with Lord Charles Beresford’s insinuations, which must he attributed to the imagination oi one who had suffered disappointment, rather than to real nowledge. Manj r newspapers consider that Mi Churchill had the best of the duel His action was justified.

AN AUDIENCE WITH THE KING

London, December 22. Admiral Bridgeman had an audience with the King for over an hour at Buckingham Palace regarding his retirement. Such audiences usually last a quarter of an hour.