APPENDIX II SYNOPSIS OF LORD FISHER’S CAREER.

Born January 25, 1841, at Rambodde, Ceylon.

Son of Captain William Fisher, 78th Highlanders, A.D.C. to the Governor of Ceylon, and Sophia, daughter of A. Lambe, of New Bond Street, and granddaughter of Alderman Boydell. His godmother was Lady Wilmot Horton, wife of the Governor of Ceylon; and his godfather Sir Robert Arbuthnot, Commanding the Forces in Ceylon.

Entered the Royal Navy, June 13, 1854.

Received a nomination for the Navy from Admiral Sir William Parker, the last of Nelson’s Captains. Joined his first ship, the “Victory,” at Portsmouth, on July 12, 1854. The “Victory” was also the last ship to fly his flag as an Admiral, October 20, 1904.

Served in Russian War, in Baltic (Medal) in “Calcutta” 84 guns.

Served in the China War, 1856–60, including the capture of Canton and Peiho Forts. (China Medal, Canton and Taku Clasps.) Given command of a small vessel by Admiral Sir James Hope, Commander-in-Chief, the “Coromandel,” of which he was acting Captain at the age of 19.

Also served in “Highflyer,” Captain Shadwell; “Chesapeake,” Captain Hilles; and “Furious,” Captain Oliver Jones. Returned home in 1861 from the China Station.

Lieutenant, November 4, 1860.

In passing for Lieutenant, he won the Beaufort Testimonial; and was advanced to Mate on January 25, 1860, and confirmed as Lieutenant within eleven months.

March 28, 1863.

Appointed to H.M.S. “Warrior,” Captain the Hon. A. A. Cochrane, the first seagoing ironclad, for gunnery duties. Served in her for three and a half years.

November 3, 1866.

Appointed to the Staff of H.M.S. “Excellent,” gunnery schoolship, Portsmouth, Captain Arthur W. A. Hood.

August 2, 1869.

Promoted to Commander, and appointed to the China flagship.

September 19, 1872.

On returning from China in H.M.S. “Ocean,” was appointed to “Excellent” for Torpedo Service. Started the “Vernon” as a Torpedo Schoolship. Visited Fiume to arrange for the purchase of the Whitehead Torpedo.

October 30, 1874.

Promoted to Captain, and re-appointed to “Excellent” for torpedo service and instructional duties, remaining until 1876.

November 16, 1876.

Appointed for special service in “Hercules,” flagship of Vice-Admiral the Hon. Sir James Drummond, Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean.

March 15, 1877.

Appointed Flag-Captain to Admiral Sir A. Cooper-Key, Commander-in-Chief, North American Station, in the “Bellerophon.”

June 7, 1878.

Appointed Flag-Captain to Admiral Sir A. Cooper-Key, Commanding the Particular Service Squadron, in the “Hercules.”

January 1, 1879.

Appointed in command of the “Pallas,” corvette, on Mediterranean Station, returning home in July. President of a Committee for the revision of the “Gunnery Manual of the Fleet.”

September 25, 1879.

Appointed Flag-Captain to Vice-Admiral Sir Leopold M’Clintock, Commander-in-Chief, North American Station, in the “Northampton.”

January 18, 1881.

Appointed to command the “Inflexible,” the largest ship in the Navy.

July 11, 1882.

Took part in the bombardment of Alexandria. Afterwards landed with the Naval Brigade at Alexandria. Arranged for the first “armoured train,” and commanded it in various skirmishes with the enemy.

August 14, 1882.

Awarded the C.B. for service at Alexandria; also Egyptian Medal, with Alexandria Clasp; Khedive’s Bronze Star; Order of Osmanieh, 3rd Class; etc.

November 9, 1882.

Invalided home through illness contracted on active service.

April 6, 1883.

Appointed in command of “Excellent,” gunnery schoolship.

1884.

Collaborated with Mr. W. T. Stead in the production of “The Truth About the Navy,” resulting in increased Navy Estimates and the opening of a new era in the provision of an adequate Fleet.

November 1, 1886.

Appointed Director of Naval Ordnance, occupying this post four and a half years. Carried out the transfer of the control of naval ordnance from the War Office to the Admiralty.

August 2, 1890.

Promoted to Rear-Admiral.

May 21, 1891.

Appointed Admiral-Superintendent of Portsmouth Dockyard. Expedited the completion of the “Royal Sovereign,” first of a new type of battleships. Acted as host when the French Squadron under Admiral Gervais visited the Dockyard, 1891.

February 1, 1892.

Appointed Third Sea Lord and Controller of the Navy, and served in the administrations of Lord George Hamilton, Earl Spencer, and Mr. G. J. Goschen as First Lords; and Admirals Sir A. Hood, Sir A. H. Hoskins and Sir F. W. Richards as First Sea Lords. During this period the firm stand of the Admiralty Board brought about the resignation of Mr. Gladstone, March 3, 1894.

May 26, 1894.

Appointed K.C.B.

May 8, 1896.

Promoted to Vice-Admiral.

August 24, 1897.

Hoisted his flag in H.M.S. “Renown” as Commander-in-Chief, North American Station.

1899.

Attended the first Hague Peace Conference as Naval Delegate.

July 1, 1899.

Appointed Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Station, with his flag in the “Renown,” remaining in this post until June 2nd, 1902. Admiral Lord Beresford, Second-in-Command, says of this period in his “Memoirs”: “While Vice-Admiral Sir John Fisher was Commander-in-Chief of the Mediterranean Fleet, he greatly improved its fighting efficiency. As a result of his representations, the stocks of coal at Malta and Gibraltar were increased, the torpedo flotillas were strengthened, and the new breakwaters at Malta were begun. Some of Sir John Fisher’s reforms are confidential; but among his achievements which became common knowledge, the following are notable: From a 12-knot Fleet with breakdowns, he made a 15-knot Fleet without breakdowns; introduced long range target practice, and instituted the Challenge Cup for heavy gun shooting; instituted various war practices for officers and men; invited, with excellent results, officers to formulate their opinions upon cruising and battle formation; drew up complete instructions for torpedo flotillas; exercised cruisers in towing destroyers and battleships in towing one another, thereby proving the utility of the device for saving coal in an emergency; and generally carried into execution Fleet exercises based, not on tradition, but on the probabilities of war.”

1900.

Received from the Sultan of Turkey the 1st Class of the Order of Osmanieh.

November 2, 1901.

Promoted to Admiral.

June 5, 1902.

Returned to the Admiralty as Second Sea Lord, remaining until August 31, 1903, with Lord Selborne, First Lord, and Admiral Lord Walter Kerr, First Sea Lord.

June 26, 1902.

Appointed G.C.B. in the Coronation Honours List.

December 25, 1902.

Launched new scheme of naval entry and education for officers, with training colleges at Osborne and Dartmouth.

May 2, 1903.

Made his first public speech at the Royal Academy Banquet.

August 31, 1903.

Appointed Commander-in-Chief at Portsmouth, in order to supervise personally the inauguration of his new education scheme at Osborne College. Also energetically promoted the formation and development of the first British submarine flotilla.

November 7, 1903.

Appointed member of Committee with Lord Esher and Colonel Sir George Clarke (Lord Sydenham) to reorganise the War Office on the lines of the Admiralty Board.

October 21, 1904.

Appointed First Sea Lord in Lord Selborne’s administration, and held this office for five years and three months, the period of his greatest activity and his preparation for a war with Germany. Some of the more notable of his many reforms are dealt with in his “Memories.”

Also appointed, October 21, 1904, First and Principal Naval Aide-de-Camp to King Edward VII.

December 6, 1904.

Admiralty Memorandum on the Distribution of the Fleet, introducing nucleus crew system for ships in reserve, and withdrawing obsolete craft from foreign stations.

January, 1905.

Committee appointed to inquire into the reorganisation of the dockyards.

March 6, 1905.

Appointment of Rear-Admiral Percy Scott to newly-created post of Inspector of Target Practice. By this and other means, including the service of Captain J. R. Jellicoe as Director of Naval Ordnance, the marksmanship of the Navy was vastly improved.

December 4, 1905.

Awarded the Order of Merit, and promoted by Special Order in Council to be an additional Admiral of the Fleet, thus giving him five more years on the active list in order to carry out his policy.

February 10, 1906.

Launch of the “Dreadnought,” the first all-big-gun and turbine-driven battleship, as recommended by the Admiralty Committee on Design presided over by the First Sea Lord (Sir John Fisher).

November, 1906.

Establishment of the Naval War College at Portsmouth.

January, 1907.

Institution of a service of Fleet Auxiliaries—ammunition and store ships, distilling and hospital ships, fleet repair ships, fishing trawlers as, mine sweepers, etc., etc., etc., etc.,

March, 1907.

Creation of a new Home Fleet, with the “Dreadnought” as flagship for service in the North Sea.

August, 1907.

New scheme of advancement and pay of naval ranks and ratings introduced.

September, 1907.

Establishment of a wireless telegraphy branch, and installation erected on the Admiralty building.

November 9, 1907.

Speech at the Lord Mayor’s Banquet, assuring his countrymen that they could sleep quietly in their beds, and not be disturbed by invasion bogeys.

June, 1908.

Visited Reval with King Edward and Queen Alexandra on their visit to the Tsar of Russia. Awarded G.C.V.O. on the conclusion of this cruise.

June 17, 1908.

Created honorary LL.D. of Cambridge University.

June, 1909.

Entertained delegates to Imperial Press Conference at a review of the Fleet at Spithead, and a display of submarines, etc.

December 7, 1909.

Raised to the peerage as Baron Fisher of Kilverstone, in the County of Norfolk, after the manor bequeathed to his only son by the late Mr. Josiah Vavasseur, C.B.

January 25, 1910.

Retired from office of First Sea Lord, and was succeeded by Admiral of the Fleet Sir Arthur Wilson, but remained a member of the Committee of Imperial Defence. Recording his retirement in the First Lord’s Memorandum, dated March 4, 1910, Mr. Reginald McKenna said: “The measures which are associated with his name and have been adopted by several successive Governments will prove of far-reaching and lasting benefit to the Naval Service and the country.”

March 10, 1910.

Took the oath and his seat in the House of Lords.

May 24, 1912.

Visited at Naples by Mr. Churchill (the new First Lord) and Mr. Asquith (Prime Minister).

July 30, 1912.

Appointed Chairman of the Royal Commission on Oil Fuel and Oil Engines for the Navy.

September 7, 1914.

Appointed Honorary Colonel of the First Naval Brigade, Royal Naval Division.

October 30, 1914.

Recalled to the Admiralty as First Sea Lord.

December 8, 1914.

Victory of Admiral Sir Doveton Sturdee over Admiral Count von Spee, due to the prompt dispatch from England of two battle-cruisers immediately on receipt of the news of the Coronel disaster. This was the most decisive battle of the war, the German force being practically annihilated.

January 24, 1915.

Action of Sir David Beatty off the Dogger Bank, and sinking of the “Blücher” another striking success of the battle-cruiser design.

May 15, 1915.

Resignation as First Sea Lord over the Dardanelles question.

July 5, 1915.

Appointed Chairman of the Board of Invention and Research.

November 16, 1915.

First speech in House of Lords, in reference to Mr. Churchill’s speech on the previous day, following the latter’s resignation from Cabinet.

March 21, 1917.

Second speech in House of Lords, declaring his refusal to discuss Dardanelles report during the war.

Awarded the Grand Cordon, with Paulownia, of the Japanese Order of the Rising Sun.

May 5, 1919.

Speech at the luncheon to Mr. Josephus Daniels, U.S. Naval Secretary.

October 21 (Trafalgar Day), 1919.

Publication of “Memories.”

December 8 (Falkland Islands Day), 1919.

Publication of “Records.”