NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Press, Volume L, Issue 15047, 15 August 1914, Page 11

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

~t h . im P°rtant announcement that ■ : formidable operation**" aro procedhig in tho. Aorth Sea, can only bo construed to mean that -the British and German battlo flecta have at last cot to death grips, and further news will be awaited with intenso interest. If a general engagement is in progress then tne greatest and most awiul naval batWβ m tho history of the world is in progress. Not the slightest fragmont of information has leaked out to give any idea of the actual disposition of tho opposing fleets and, as far as the outside world is concerned, tho "formidable operations ,, are shrouded in an impenetrable veil of secrecy. The official message gives no indir-ation as to whether all or only parts of tho British and German fleets are fighting. But ac the wholo of the British Homo fleet is in the North Sea, it may bo assumed that several of tho battlo squadrons are engaged and the Germans would need practically the whole of their High Seas fleot to fight on" anything likb even terms and for the following reasons.

The object of naval -warfare is to destroy tho enemy, and as gun fire is the destructive power, then tho most destructive guns must be tho proper means to the end. Tactical operations of course play an important part, ; and the torpedo, launched from battleship, cruiser, torpedo boat, or submarine, ■with an effective range of 7000 yards, 16 another element to be considered. ,But it is gun-power that must bo the deciding factor, and a comparison of the armaments of the opposing fleets in tho North Sea affords some startling figures.

It became known in July, 1913. that tho German battleships and battlecruisers of the 1911-12 and 1912-13 programmes did not mount a heavier gun than tho 12in. Tho prolonged adherence of the Germans to tho 12in gun came rabhor as a surprise, but it was not a new thing for them to keep to a small gun -which had proved satisfactory, instead of promptly adopting a heavier calibre, after tho example of Great Britain. The Germans continued to put llin guns into battleships for eeveral years after I2in gune _ were being mounted by other countries.

Assuming that the three latest German battleships which were- to have beeu completed last month, have takou their places in the High Seas licet, Germany has 18 Dreadnought battloships and battlo-cruiaers in commission as against 2-1 similar ships in the British. Home Fleet in tho North Sea. No account is being taken in this compariBon of efiectivo nre-Dreadnought battleships in which the British fleet has an overwhelming superiority, not only in ships, but in guns. Nono of tho German pre-DreadriOught battleships mount anything heavier than four 11----inch s ulls j whjlo the British ships of this type all mount 12-inch guns. Oi 1 the British Dreadnought ships, none have smaller guns in their main armament than the 12-inch weapon, while thirteen mount 13.5-iuch guns. On tho other hand there is not' a single 13.5----incb gun in the German battle fleet. Their heaviest weapon is tho 13-inch gun mounted ,in eleven ships, while seven ships mount 11-inch guns. The main armaments of _ tho Bnsadnought ships in the opposing fleets is therefore: — Total 13.5 in 12in 11Ships. guns. guns, ginia. inch. British ... 24 232 124 108 — German ... 18 192 — 118 71 Another advantage lies with tho British Dreadnoughts, namely, that with the exception of seven ships, they can tiro the whole of their heavy guns on either broadside. Tho sevon ships—Dreadnought, Bellerophon, Tcmeraire, Superb, Collingwood, St. Vincent, and Vanguards-can liro eight of their ten guns on either side. Tho thirteen British ships mounting I'l.o-inch guns can fire tho whole of their guns on either broadside. In tho German licet, there

pro only sevon ships mounting 12-inch guns which '.an hro ton on either broadside, tho other four having a maximum broadsme of eight guns. Of tho 11-inch Run ships, only ono can tiro ten on oitnor Qroudsuks tho other six having a maximum Iroadsido of ei>;ht guns, Tho JJritbh 13.5-inch gun shins hio 14001b projectiles, their total broadside discharge- being 14,000 ib each. Tho thirteen ships tiring simultaneously would discharge- 1,433,6001b weight Ot sholis, or t>4o tons, anu they can iiro twice or thrco times per ininuto! The British 12-inch projectile weights SoO lb, ac against tho Gorman if.Oit), and tho 11-ir.ch shell ot tho Germans weighs 7GOIU, buo tho muzzle velocity and muzzlo energy of the British 12-inch gun aro greater than those of the Geiman K uus. Such aro tho weapons which will decide the great naval battle in tho North Sea

Although no reports have- been received of captures of British merchant ships, tho announcement by tho authoritative shipping journal," "Fairplay," that 103 German ships and seven Austrian vessels havo been seized Dy tho British, French, Belgians, and Russians, gives a good idea of tho serious position in which German and Austriau .shipping has been placed by tho outbreak of war. Hundreds of their vessels aro probably sheltering in neutral ports at the present time, and tho oversea* shipping trado of Germany is, as a. message told us yesterday, "at a. complete standstill."

Tho German light cruiser Leipzig is reported to have ontered San Francisco for coal supplies. San Francisco is, of course, a neutral port, but ,V! pointed out «i low days ago, a neutral State may supply a belligerent vessel with pacific stores and coal sufficient to tako her to tho nearest port in her own country. Tho message states that the captain of tho Leipzig lias announced his intention of seeking out two Australian cruisers, which ho alleges aro cruising in tho neighbourhood of the Californian coast. This is probably a "touch" added by Amorica-n yellow journals. Tho captain of the Leipzig is not at all likely to seek fight with two British cruisers. Tho Leipzig, which is attached to the Germim squadron stationed in Cluneso waters, has a displacement of 3200 tons, in speed of 23 knots, and an armament of ten 4.1-inch and 14 machine guns, and two torpedo tubes.

The Union liner Niagara, which is reported to have left Vancouver for Auckland Some days ago, is probably half-way through her passago by this time She has a sea speed of 16" knots, but is capable of 18 knots when "opened out." Evidently she has escaped thoattenttons of the Leipzig. The Niagara, which steams on oil fuel, of which she.carries sufficient fora round voyage, will probably omit her usual call at Honolulu,

Special interest attaches to the announcement that tho -.aekwar of Baroda placod his troop and resources at tiro disposal of the King., Tho Gaekwnr's loyalty has been under a oloud for some time. His discourtesy towards tho Kinc-Emperor when ho paid homage at tho J>elhi Durbar in 1911 was tho subject of much comment.

"Armies aro becoming unwieldy," wrote a critic last year. "., "With the vast growth of modern armies superiority m numbers has lost much of its formor importance. Germany and Franco can raise several millions, of soldiers. Now, although Germany may do able to raiee ono million, or two million moro than Franco, the case of France is not hopeless, because it >tt not certain that Germany may be able to . make effective! use of her larger numbers. Efficiency is becoming more important than. numbers. That, was shown in the Russo-Japanese War. . . An array may bo too large. A very army is a very clow, ponderous, ana awkward machine, which cannot livo on the country, but mttst cling u> Fho railway for itp supplies, and which can bo fod, moved, *nd nwncouvred only with great difficulty. It may havo the fate, of' the whale which is attacked by the ewordfish. It may bo defeated by a smaller but Tnoro -agile force. Besides, the eastern district of France -and Southern Belgium are so densely stud dod % with powerful fortresses and forts that there is not sufficient room for deploying armies of tho largest size. Lastly,, the paucity of > •roads forbids the ueo of very large armies: When the ground" is heavy, troops on tho march must stick to tho roads. The soil of Eastern France is very eoft. A German Army Corps, of 86,000 men, marching on a single road, extends over fifteen miles, and requires five hours for deploying for battle. It is followed by two ammunition columns and a baggage column, which ostend. -ovor anoiser fif-een. miles of road. Through the great increase of the .fiolfl artillery and of the number , of nmnmni-, tion carts which tho modern qnickfiring guns and magazine rifles have made necessary, and the recent. addition of siego -guns, howitzers, mortars, machine guns, wireless telegraphy sections, bailoon sections, flying machines, field kitchens, otc.i the length of an army corps b constantly growing. . ;

"Numbers are very important in war,> *Rt numerical superiority is not overythino;,'' -ivroto Mr J. Ellis Barker ; n an English magazine last.year. "It is truo that tho French were inferior to tho Germans in number in their disastrous war "with Germany, buo ttiero wero other, and perhaps mow important, factors which brought about their defeat. At the beginning "of August, 1870, when the campaign open ; ed, Germany had 4/4 battalions, France had 332 battalions; Germany had 352 squadrons, Franco had 220 F/iuadroJia. Germany had 1584 guns, France had 730 guns. It will bo noticed that Germany's superiority in infantry and cavalry was great, whilst her superiority in artillery w as absolutely otoiwhelming. " At present the French a*-; tillery compares favourably with-that of Germany. Iα the opinion of many exports it is considerably bettor. The French had really no chance in 1870. At "Weiesenburg 50,950 Germans defeated 5300 Frenchmen, and 144 German guns played on 18 French guns. At Worth 97,6.30 Germans attacked 48;550 Frenchmen, and 342 Uerinan guns easily silenced • 3.67 French suns. At Sniuheren (Forbaoh) 34,000 Germans with 108 guns defeated 27,600 Frenchmen with 90 guns. At Gravelotto 787.600 Germans with 732 guns defeated 112,800 Frenchmen with f>2o guns. At Sedan 154,850 uermana with 701 f"TS defeated 90,000 Frenchmen with guns. The French wore inferior to +he Germans in tho number of men, ant?~espociaUy of guns. Besides,, tho French muzzle-loading guns were absolutely outclassed y the excellent Rrupp breech-loaders. • There was chaos in the French ranks. Tho Germans Tver© very euperior to the French in _ strategy, tactics, organisation, administration, generalship, .staff, officers, .rank and file, reserves, cornmisFarm.% mechanical outfit, morale—in sliort, everything. Had the French possessed a good, well-armed, wellofficcred, and well-led army, they mignt jiavo been victorioos ; notwithstanding tneir numerical inferiority. Napoleon and Frederick the Great won most ot their battles against very superior numbers."

A3 stated come days ago, tho invo battleships completing on the Tyrie for the Turkish Navy, have been purchased by tho British Admiralty for £o ,000.000. According to tho technical journals, only ono battleship was Actually started last year on Ui« Tyn© for Turkey. Thu was " the Eeshadifth. a stiper-Dread-nout'ht, similar m typo to tho British battleship Iron Duke. Tho b«l of a new Turkish battleship, i<> bo named Fatih (i.e., Conqueror), was laid down at Barrow-on-the-Tyne, on Juno llfch, but she will, of course, not bo.ready for launching until vest yean Soma months ago, however, the .Turkish... Go*. Tcnimcnt purchased tho battleship Rio

<3e Janeiro,, lauuehed in June, 1913, from tho yards of Sir W. G. Armstrong. Wbitworth and Co., on tho Tynfc. for about ±;3..000,000. She- was re-named Sultan Osman 1., and special pressure being used-by the builders t-o comT'lete her last month, in readiness for her steaming and gun trials.

There is tio doubt, therefore, that the ships purchased by iho British Admiroky from the Turks are the Resliafiieu. and ihn .Saltan Osman I. They ]i«vo been re-named Agincourt and Xrin, and it is interesting to note that Agincmirt I** tho name which was to Lave boon given to the new battleship r.i:io:i was to bo laid down at Portsmouth ;his ye,ir. The acquisition of Ihrso fino ships makes a very consider»b!o addition to the battle strength oi the British fieot. Tho Sultan Osman I. is one of tho mo»t heavily-armed battleships in the world. Of 27.000 toim <lt?----placcment. and designed Kneed of 22 knot;;, risn mounts fourteen 12-ineb. gut:. , ; in sevon lurrets, and twenty <>- inch guns and tiirec torpetlo tubes. Tlip whele of lior 12-inch guns can Ik> fired cm cither side, the total woiglit of the projectiles in one broadside being 12,000 poim<is. The Rcsba/licb, ts-itb a <lisp!acem«nt of 23,100 tons, and a de-

s-igncfi sneo/1 of 22 knots, mounts ten 10.-j-inch guns and tnxteen 6-inch guns an-.l five torpedo tubes. Her ten big S'lns firing on cither discharge a i>ro.id;-i(lo of 12,-jOO pounds.

Tito fir?'.- battleship in the world to mount 15-inch guns, as her main -irrnamcit, h tho Queen P'lizabcth, which is ,-:h>w b*iing hurriedly completed in Ports•raouth Dockyard. Although she carries only eight of theso enoruK>U3 weapons, tho Iota! weight of projectiles which (•an I>o fired on. either brondsido ;s I.">.(VX) pounds, or 3100 pounds more than :iny of tho ships mounting ton 13.5-inch guns, and 3000 pounds more Vnazi tl:o ship bought from Turkey, mounting fourteen 12-inch guns. A Visier ship t-o the Queen Elizabeth —tho WjMT-rpit-e—is ranidly ncaring completion in the Royal Dockyard at Devonpcrl. Thc?o ships hare a- displacement of 33,000 tons, a dosignod spfied of 25 knots, and will burn oil fuel only , . None of the German battleships J noT building aro within six or eight montfw of completion at the very earliest. Jnrli:ding" the battle-cruiser Tiger, which i« rapidly completing on the Clyde, Great Britain will be able to place in iho fighting line Tory shortly an additional forco of five super-Dreadnoughts, , mounting sixteen 15-inch.'ten, 13.1-inch, and fourteen 12-inch guns.

In a speech at the luncheon given to officers of tho British Squadron that v-.sited Kiel lately, Grand-Admiral top Kosler,. President of tho Navy J .•.•ague, mad© a reference to Nelson \ hich is very interesting just now. A*ter touching on tho high esteem Gerii sin naval officers had for British officers. Admiral Kostor said:— "Gcrrcany has, worse luck, no naval war history of hor own to teach us, so we are coiipclied to hold up that mast«i- of all masters, your own imperishable Nelson, as the ideal to which sailerr-, must aspire. Political conditions may be good or bad. but they-can itovVr efface cir admiration for the tons of tho Mother of INavies. Germany has a I powerful fleet* —a fleet v/'iich must bo made still more poweriii! —but we drain our arlasses sincerely Trhon 'Hochs , for the British Navy are r:il!ed for."

Au official telegram from the Press iii.roan announces that Germany is harassing the trade routes to South America. Up to the present, however, no captures of British merchant rblps haro. Dvvn reported. ;As anuriineed yesterday, tuenty-fcur British, 'mobilised" cruisers have been despatched by the Admiralty to the. Athiijtic to huit down the five German cm users in that." ocean. The official message further states that British shipping is now arriving regularly, vhich is a. very reassuring sign, coupled with the Admiralty's . announcement that. shippers may .confidently tend cargoes-to Great Britain.

Tho throe fast armed merchant; vesnfLs which have been specially oommis-f-icned to patrol Atlantic trade routes,. pro probably tho Cunard liners Aqui- . lonia, Mauretania, end Lusitania, -which aro tho speediest Teseels of their 'o'ass in tho world. The official "Navy J.tst"' describes the Mauretania and Lusitattia as Royal Naval" Reserved Merchant Cruisers, and: states that " 1 bey are in "receipt of an annual subvMition from tho. Admiralty. . Tbe , and _ Lusitania havo .frequently > maintained a speed of 26J lu.ott> for long, stretches, while the ; Acquitania has averaged - 23J knots for Gvo days. , . ..-'-., ;-.*