Old naval days; sketches from the life of Rear Admiral William Radford, U S N. . menced talking with him, asking: who were his parents? Wherewas he born? and other questions; after which, turning to hissuite, His Majesty called their attention to the manner in whichthis young boy spoke Russian; saying: Born in the UnitedStates—of an American mother—coming to Russia only now toenter the service, and yet speaking Russian as though born andbred in this country! This, Gentlemen, is a lesson for thosewho tell me that Russian is too difficult a language for theirchildren to learn. It is a well known
Old naval days; sketches from the life of Rear Admiral William Radford, U S N. . menced talking with him, asking: who were his parents? Wherewas he born? and other questions; after which, turning to hissuite, His Majesty called their attention to the manner in whichthis young boy spoke Russian; saying: Born in the UnitedStates—of an American mother—coming to Russia only now toenter the service, and yet speaking Russian as though born andbred in this country! This, Gentlemen, is a lesson for thosewho tell me that Russian is too difficult a language for theirchildren to learn. It is a well known fact that the Emperor Alexander III madeevery endeavor to restore the use of the Russian language to theCourt circles, where it was being greatly superseded by French. Four months after the entry of his grandson into the NicholasCadet Corps, on January 8th, 1890, Rear Admiral Wm. Radfordwas taken from this world, leaving, as has been justly said: Arecord of loyalty to his country only rivaled by that of his mag-nanimity toward those who conscientiously differed from LAST YEARS 381 Rear Admiral Radford was a Charter member of the Metro-politan Club in Washington, when it had its quarters on thecorner of Fifteenth and H streets, and afterwards in the old IVIorris House, on H Street and Vermont Avenue. Elected amember of the Board of Governors of that Club on December i8th,1875, he served in that capacity until December 13th, 1881. TheBoard at that time consisted of ten governors, among whom werealso General Sherman and Admiral Porter. His membership in the Military Order of the Loyal Legiondated from March 7th, 1866. In closing, I find a tribute to his memory published shortlyafter his taking from this world, in the Cape Cod Item, whichgives so Just and accurate an estimate of his character that I feelI cannot do otherwise than insert it here. Rear Admiral William Radford, for several years past a sum-mer resident of this village, which he always found very agreeableto
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