anything that might be spoken or written--could be desired than the
action of Admiral Sir David Beatty, commander-in-chief of the Grand
Fleet, who, receiving a report not so many months ago that the German
High Seas Fleet was out, awarded the post of honor in the consolidated
fleet of British and American war-vessels which went forth to meet the
Germans to a division of American battleships. This chivalrous
compliment on the part of the British commander was no doubt designed as
a signal act of courtesy, but more, it was born of the confidence of a
man who has seen our navy, who had had the most complete opportunities
for studying it and, as a consequence, knew what it could do.

There is nothing of chauvinism in the statement that, so far as the
submarine is concerned, our navy has played a most helpful part in
diminishing its ravages, that our fighting ships have aided very
materially in the marked reduction in sinkings of merchantmen as
compared to the number destroyed in the corresponding period before we
entered the war, and in the no less notable increase in the number of
submarines captured or sunk. These facts have not only been made clear
by official Navy Department statements, but have been attested to by
many British and French Admiralty and Government authorities and naval
commanders.

"You doubtless know," wrote Admiral Sims to the Secretary of the Navy
some time ago, "that all of the Allies here with whom I am associated
are very much impressed by the efforts now being made by the United
States Navy Department to oppose the submarine and protect merchant
shipping. I am very glad to report that our forces are more than coming
up to expectations."

Admiral Sims was modest. Let us quote the message sent by Admiral Sir