| Show OLDEST ADMIRAL I 1 richard moorman En glands oldest admiral has just celebrated ilia hla ninety eighth birthday anniversary probably no other tinval naval officer in the world can boast a longer record as lie he entered the british navy at 13 ills ilia memory of service afloat goes back to the year 1823 and lie ha has some boil loudious woud drous ious yarns to spin of life and adventure on many 7 sells seas one of 0 tile the mot most singular experiences which lie ho takes pId pleasure Asure in relating Is rubbing noses cosea literally lite rail y with a maori queen who in her turn tur P 14 X had rubbed noses with capt cooki cook the famous explorer the laoris maoris in those days said the admiral in the course of a recent interview were a cannibal tribe an the west arst coast of new zealand I 1 was one of the first to visit them this war wan as far back its as 1827 1 I revisited the laoris maoris 16 years later when sir george grey was governor and met the chief of the Alaor laoris maoris ls ile he remembered my earlier visit tho the chief and I 1 became very friendly i and he committed to my charge his grandson who was in a way prince regent of the country I 1 kept him a year on my ship and then persuaded the british government to give him an education admiral moorman Alo orman has the distinction of having commanded the first screw propelled warship in the british navy navy the rattler it was waft a complimentary hp appointment which lie he had won through his merit in naval gunnery after commanding tile tho rattler for somo time he ba was transferred to the first paddle wheel ship in the navy and and ho he has haa witnessed all the wonderful chans changes ria lo abeam propulsion which have taken place since those early days 7 the aged agea admiral Is as remarkable for his idea of naval reform as he Is tor for his singular experiences lie he always has haa made a stand against promotion through favoritism ile ho was among the very first to plead for the advancement of men from the lower dock |
