In a military journal is related this incident of the ill-starred
voyage of the Russian fleet to Eastern waters:
One day, during some gunnery practise, Admiral Rozhestvensky was
greatly angered by the poor display made by a certain vessel,
which he boarded in a towering rage. “Who is in command here?”
he asked excitedly. “I am, sir,” replied an officer, stepping
forward. “Consider yourself under arrest,” said Rozhestvensky;
“your men are trained disgracefully.” “It is not my fault,”
answered the officer. “Our shells won’t explode.” “I’ll soon see
whether you are right,” thundered the admiral, and, taking up a
small shell, he lit the fuse and held it out at arm’s length. If
that shell had burst, both men would have been blown to atoms.
But the fuse spluttered out, and the admiral remarked simply,
“You are right. The fault is not yours. I will see to it that
you have proper shells in future.”
The expedient of the admiral was exceedingly dangerous, but it was
highly effective. This proof admits of no gainsaying. (Text.)
(2554)
=Proof, Sufficient=--See EVIDENCE, CHRISTIAN.
=Propagation=--See IMPROVEMENT.
=Propagation of Life=--See LIFE, SELF-PROPAGATING.