1 MARCH 1919, Page 11

LORD JELLIOOE'S BOOK.

Its Tat Emma or ens " SPECTATOR...] S1E,—With reference to your interesting review of Lord Je11iooe's book, The Grand Fleet, 1914-16, I think you COD,Oy a wrong impression of the author's contentions by confusion of the terms "Grand Fleet" and "British Navy." You state that "Lord Jellicoe's fondamen.tal contention is that . .. the British Navy bad a small advantage over the enemy in Dread- noughts, but was inferior in destroyers and submarines." Thit is not eo. No doubt you refer to Lard Jelin...sea comparison of the enemy forces with the Grand Fleet, which is widely different from the British Nary. Without going into actual figures, the British Nary was not inferior to the enemy in destroyers at the outbreak of war, but possessed a substantial majority of about one hundred per cent., most of these how. ever being required in spheres of operations other than with the Grand Fleet. The same applies to Dreadnoughts, though

in a lesser degree. This misstatement has already occurred in the Press in many instances, but its appearance in the Spectator calls ter comment—I am, Sir. Ac.,