In his first letter Mr. Churchill hinted to the First
Sea Lord that he should resign, in language so gentle as to be vague. Sir Francis Bridgeman misapprehended the letter and stated that his health was improved and that he was returning to work. Mr. Churchill then wrote a second letter underlining the hints, and, in fact, stating that Sir Francis Bridgeman's retirement had already been arranged, and that Mr. Asquith had been consulted and the King informed. As to whether Sir Francis Bridgeman was really ill enough for his resignation to be desirable we have no means of knowing. But this at least is certain. The risk to the country in having at the head of the naval service an officer whose health could not be relied upon is much too serious to be played with. If Mr. Churchill was himself con- vinced, as he doubtless was, that Sir Francis Bridgeman was unequal to the normal strain and was unlikely to have any reserve of strength in an emergency, he was only doing his duty in replacing him, however unpleasant that duty might be, and however much he might regret to lose the help of one whose services are on all hands acknowledged and admired.
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