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Show 1 ENGLAND'S OLDEST ADMIRAL "" I rtlchard Moorman, England's oldest admiral, sQ( has Just celebrated his ninety-eighth birthday Z?"- anniversary. Probably no other naval oftlcer In W tho world can boast a longer record, ns ho en-It en-It J, tcred tho British navy at 13. His memory of vP ?lt?5yli service afloat goes back to tho year 1823, ond t'M t wK2Ji no 'ins BOrao wondrous yarns to spin ot life and vi v tk JjWK adventure on many seas. Yi 4s'tftWA. Ono of tho most singular experiences which r yr?fc&"y ho takes plcnsuro in relating Is rubbing noses st w- Iffi' literally with a Maori queen, who In her turn prffas jffiL. lm'' "rllljl)0tl n0SCB" w'"1 C"!'1, Cook, the famous mmMtiUmKk "Tlle Mnor's ln thoso days," said the admiral WMvfammwSfM In tho courso of a recent Interview, "wero a lll'ifnn,v mBflflfflJ cannibal trlbo on tbo west coast of Now Zealand. I was ono of the first to visit thorn. This was as far back as 1827. I revisited tho Maoris 16 years later, when 81r George Orey wns governor, and met the chief of tho Maoris. Ho remembered my earlier visit, Tho chief and 1 beenmo very friendly, and ho committed to my charge his grnndson, who was, In a way, prince rcgont of tho country. I kept Mm a year on ray ship and then persuaded tho Ilrltlsh government to glvo hint an education." Admiral Moorman has tho distinction of having commanded the first screw-propelled warship ln tho Drltleh navy, the Rattler. It was a complimentary complimen-tary appointment which ho had won through his merit In navnl gunnery. After commanding tho Ilattlor for somo tlmo ho was transferred to tho. first paddlo wheol ship In tho navy; and bo has witnessed all the wonderful changes ln steam propulsion which hnvo taken place since thoso early days. Tho aged admiral Is as remarkable for his idea of naval reform as ho Is for his singular experiences. He always has mado a stand against promotion through favoritism. He was among tho very first to plead for tho advancement advance-ment of men from tho lower deck. r |