A MAN OF THE DAY.

Waipawa Mail, Volume XXVIII, Issue 5248, 18 April 1908, Page 6 (Supplement)

A MAN OF THE DAY.

FIGHTING 808 EVANS. U.S. NAVY. The man of the moment In the world of Navies Is Rear-Admiral ltobley D. Evans, who Is commanding the American Atlantic Squadron on its fateful record cruise to the Pacific. Admiral Evans is the Lord Charles Beresford of the U.S.N. 110 is Just as blunt, outspoken, and snilor-llke as Lord Charles, and, like him, he has occasionally run atilt against naval officialdom and inertia. In appearance, however, he is more like General Buffer than Lord Charles. He has a good record of active service, as his nickname indicates. He served with distinction In the American Civil War, receiving four very severe rifle shot wounds in the land attack on Fort Fisher.

BELLICOSE DESPATCHES. He gained the name of Fighting Bob while In command of the small cruiser Yorktown to Valparaiso, Chill, in 181)1, during the period of strained relations between Chill apd the United States. Trouble was threatening Chili owing to some of the cruiser Baltimore’s men having been killed lu the streets of Valparaiso by Chilians. The Yorktown came in great haste to augment the United States’ fleet in Chilian waters, aud It was due to the very bellicose despatches that Evans sent to Washington that the name was given to him which has attached to him ever since. In the Spanish War lie commanded the lowa in Sampson’s fleet off Santiago, taking active part, in the battles with Cervera. As one of the Spanish vessels began to go down, Evans’ men scut up a great shout of delight. He Immediately quieted them, all by exclaiming, "Shut up! those brave fellows are dying.” The men thereupon bared their heads and watched their enemies sink in silence, while the gallant Admiral—who in normal times has a stupendous command of vituperative language—knelt on the deck aud offered up a prayer.

THE ADMIRAL’S BRANDY. Fighting Bob tells this story against himself. He had a Congressman for a quest, but had run out of his favorite brand of whisky, and had stocked up with something he could not guarantee. He explained this, and added : “Here, however, Is some brandy that I’ve kept untouched for a good deal more than twenty years.” “Just hand me over the whisky decanter,” was the reply. “Why?” said the Admiral; “what’s the matter with the brandy?” “That’s Just what 1 want to know, Bob,” said the guest, “blit if you have had it uutor °iled in., your possession for more than twenty years there must lie something pretty bad the matter with it.” ADMIRAL EVANS’ JAP. SERVANT Another of Fighting Bob’s stories is interesting In view of the present relations of the United States and Japan and his monotonous Pacific cruise. It. illustrates how briskly the Japanese assimilate European methods and manners. “When I commanded the New York some years ago,” soys the Admiral “1 had a Jap servant, with whom I was specially pleased. He was prompt, remarkably quick to learn, ami took such deep Interest in everything that sometimes, Just to amuse myself, 1 devoted not a little lime to explaining things that he did not seem to understand. A good waiter, too, he was. Well, liually, my Jap disappeared. Some time later, when on the European station I made a call on a Japanese battleship In the harbor of Marseilles. The captain met us at the gangway mid escorted us to his cabin. When we were seated, he suddenly turned, threw off his lint, whipped a napkin over his arm and said to me, ‘The Admiral would eat7’ Tvato!’ I cried, recognising him immediately as my old servant. ‘The same,’ lie replied, bowing. ‘Captain Kalo, of the Mikado’s Navy, at your service.’ “M.A.P.”