influence public opinion and place the Government in a very
disagreeable position by trying to force it to change its programme
through undue pressure, difficult to ignore.

In a letter which Lord Esher caused to be published a short time
ago he wrote that every German, from the Emperor down to the last
man, wished for the downfall of Sir John Fisher. Now I am at a loss
to tell whether the supervision of the foundations and drains of
royal palaces is apt to qualify somebody for the judgment of naval
affairs in general. As far as regards German affairs, the phrase is
a piece of unmitigated balderdash, and has created immense
merriment in the circles of those here who know. But I venture to
think that such things ought not to be written by people who are
high placed, as they are liable to hurt public feelings over here.

Of course I need not assure you that nobody here dreams of wishing
to influence Great Britain in the choice of those to whom she means
to give the direction of her navy or to disturb them in the
fulfillment of their noble task. It is expected that the choice
will always fall on the best and ablest, and their deeds will be
followed with interest and admiration by their brother officers in
the German Navy.

It is, therefore, preposterous to infer that the German authorities
work for or against persons in official positions in foreign
countries. It is as ridiculous as it is untrue, and I hereby
repudiate such calumny. Besides, to my humble notion, this
perpetual quoting of the German danger is utterly unworthy of the
great British Nation, with its world-wide empire and mighty navy.
There is something nearly ludicrous about it. The foreigners in