BLOCKADE OF BRITAIN

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2388, 18 February 1915, Page 6

BLOCKADE OF BRITAIN

VON TIRPITZ'S THREAT GERMAN SUBMARINES WHAT THEY ARE CAPABLE OF DOING "America did not raise her voice in protest, and has done nothing, or very little, against the closing by England of the North Sea. against neutral shipping. W hat would America say now if Germany wore to declare a submarine war against all .hostile merchant vessels?" These are she opening words of the interview granted by Grand Admiral von 'iirpite, German Secretary of State for the Navy, to Mr. Carl von Wiogand, the Berlin correspondent of the "United Press of America, at the general headquarters of the German Army.

Asked by the interviewer if he was considering such measures, Admiral von lirpitzreplied: "Why not? England wishes - to starve us; we might play .the same game and encircle England, torpedoing every British ship, every ship belonging to the Allies, that approached any British or Scottish port, and thereby cut off the' greater part of England's food supply." In reply to afurther question as to whether Germany had enough submarines to carry out what amounts to a partial blockade of England by submarines, Admiral vou Tirpitz said that Germany had more submarines of tho largest type than England. Mr. von Wiegand says that Admiral von Tirpitz, at the opening of the conversation, went straight to the origin of the war, described in most interesting fashion England's rise to the world power and lier supremacy of the sea until her arrogant presumption reached its height in the present war, which England incited in order to smash the growth and development of German power. He declared that England's sea power-was based originally on piracy, acts of violence on land and robbery in every quarter of the world.

England Respohsiblc. "England, yes, England alone, is responsible for this war. Did Germany every ant anything? Did she ever make any demands on anyone. No, she wanted to be left alone in order to be able to pursue her peaceful growth and her peaceful development. England's antiGerman policy goes back to 1870, to our victory over France. "Ever masterful, like a dictator, she did not want : Germany to spread herself economically or to take up the place in tihe world to which she had a right. England would cut the throat of anybody who comes in her way, or, in her opinion, ; is likely to come in her way. England has not got- the conscientiousness of the white race, as her alliance with Japan.shows. If she can profit .thereby she would conclude an alliance with anybody, regardless of race, or colour. . "Germany developed too quickly, became too strong and powerful. She crossed England's path, and therefore her throat had to be cut. Theft's it: iii_ a word! . .Years ' ago King Edward laid i down the lines of this policy, for he had ail inexplicable aversion' for Germany. He looked about him, and seized upon the growing Pan-Slavism in the ,East- and the revenge idea in the West as his instruments. England made the alliance with the Yellow Race i n "the Far East, with the Russian barbarian in the Near East, and in tho West with tho French, who had not been ablo to abandon tbeir idea of revenge.

"So Germany, crushed in. between Pan-Slavism on the one hand, tho lust for'revenge on the other, and England on tho sea, would have been shattered and .pushed into the place assigned to her by England. These are tho means by-jvhich.England seeks to destroy or shatter Germany,, and she has the effrontery to proclaim to the wbolo world that with her Allies, the Russian barbarians, the Japanese, Hindus, Senegal blacks, Turcos, and the rest, ( she is fighting for the holiest and highest possession of civilisation and 'Kultur' by smashing Germany. Does the world really believe this?"

' Cerman Militarism. •To the interviewer's remark that the impression' had arisen that German militarism had contributed' to the war, von Tirpitz replied;— "Yes, that is England's outcry about, our militarism. And what about her 'marinism' which for 'years has claimed the supremacy^of tho sea? . There is no militarism in Germany unless you regard universal service as 'such, and universal service is necessary for tho defence of our country which for centuries has been the battle ground of the countries of Europe. In the past 200 years France has declared war on Germany about thirty times. "In my.opinion universal service leads to peace and not to war. Ask' the mothers among onr people ! They knew what war meant before it came, simply because their sons arc soldiers, England, with her hireling army, goes on witli- her football matches , and her race meetings before ever-increasing crowds. Can you imagine such o thing m a German city? No; German mothers and wives weep. They freely give their all ior tho Fatherland, but they weep I

"I say again universal service is a strong peace factor. I was one of those who would not believe that this war would coine about. I could not imagine that tho peoples of Europe would slaughter ono another." Admiral von Tirpitz admitted that tho fall of Tsing-tao had touched him deep?;/, and said that the apparent indifference of Americans towards Japan's activity in tlib Pacific was a mystery to him. The interviewer notes that in speaking of America and the anti-Ger-man feelinp there his tone waß almost bitter. "We expect from you Americans nothing • except fair treatment," he said, and declared that Germany never dreamed of violating the Monroe Doctrinc. ' . <

The interviewer asked tho Admiral how long the war would last. "That depends on England. England is said to want war to. the knife. If she insists on this she can have it, but there are some who hone that England will bo sensible and will hear the yoico of reason." And the admiral admitted that he was one of these.

Speaking of Lord Kitchener's now I army, the admral declared that they did not alarm themselves in the least about "Kitchener's millions," for Germany had several millions of perfectly fit men to fall back on, and she could then put further millions in tho field from those who did not quite come up to the average pitch of physical efficiency. . Zeppelins as Naval Weapon;. Replying to a question sis to whether the Zeppelins had proved thoir valiie as n naval weapon in this war, von Tirpitz said:— "I am personally of tho opinion that aeroplanes are also extraordinarily well suited to naval warfare. But Zeppelins are far superior to thorn for carryng heavy loads ov.er long dstances." "Then the Zeppelins in the Navy hove not remained without a rival?" "I cannot yet say which of the two types will in the end prove to be the best in tho weather conditions in which our Navy has to work. But 1 can say this, much, that both sire, employed for totally different purposes."

"I may mention incidentally." remarks the interviewer, "something that apparently is no. longer a secret which I have ascertained from another scurce— Aaniely. thit fi»rman.ij is build-

ing forty new submarines of the largo 900-ton type." Admiral von Tirpitz expressed himself as entirely satislied wit-It the achievements of the German Navy hitherto. Asked whether, in view of the success of the submarines one of tho lessons of tho war was that the large battleships had outlived their day, he said:—

"It is difficult to say yot. There is no denying that submarines p.re a new and important weapon in naval warfare. But it must not be forgotten that submarines operate best on the coasts and in shallow waters, and for this reason the English Channel is very well suited to them. The successes achieved so far do not justify the conclusion that Jargo ships are played out. It is still a question whether submarines could have behaved so splendidly in otber waters. In thi& war wo have learned a great deal. Wo believed that they could scarcely remain longer than three days from their base, as af.ter Unit time their erew would be exhausted. We'soon discovered that tho larger types of these boats could go.round .England and remain out for as much as fourteen days at a time.

"It is only necessary i : or the crew to have an opportunity for rest and recreation, and our men procure this by running the boat into shallow, still water, where it sinks to the bottom and remains there, iu order that the men can have a proper sleep. That is only possible where the water is comparatively shallow."

"When will the German fleet meet the British fleet in battle?" —"When the Englishmen give us tho opportunity for a. fight, then certainly." "Is.there any truth in tho report that an invasion of I'higlaud by Zeppelins is in preparation?"—"l think a submarine ivar against British 'shipping would be still more effective." Admiral von Tirpitz's interview with the United Press correspondent is commented upon with contemptuous indignation by tho Press of America. "It may be true/' says the "New York World," "as Admiral von Tirpitz declares, that Great Britain's domination of the sea originally was founded on piracy, but whether it was founded' on piracy or on the Ten Commandments l it is a very real domination, and Admiral vonTirpitz wisely refuses to challenge it in'an open'fight "