SECRET MEMORANDUM

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2966, 3 January 1917, Page 5

SECRET MEMORANDUM

GERMAN NAVjY LEAGUE'S VIEWS THE KEY OF !THE FUIURE Amsterdam,. January 1. The "Krue&Zeituijig", .(Berlin) pubV lishes ,the test of. fy secret memorandum, drawn up by, ithe council of the German Navy Leagtie, and transmitted to Herr von Betlmann-Hollweg in Juno. .... It states:— "Engl w<3 had been preparing for war for. eleven years. She had immense military superiority in , trained men, in addition to her skill in forming alliances, her success in welding together her E.npire,- and in winning over all the important non-Ger-man navies, while the United States ■ shammed neutrality. • ' . • ■ - "After the war, England will, in addition to her Navy, have an Army of several millions bai;ed on compulsory service. "Belgium in new hands will constitute a grievous peril to Germany. The key of the future lies in Belgium being , under Germany's political' influence. This alono will effectively threaten the British Island Empire.- If the coast of Flanders is in our possession, England will not dare to send armies to France. ' _ _ ■ "A return to the pre-war situation 1 in Belgium will bo equivalent to defeat in this grievous struggle. Antwerp is politically and economically dependent on Germany, and is an essential link in the world-eneirding chain of German sea. trade. "The recovery of th 6 German colonies is indispensable' for the defeat of England, which hopes after the war to be undisputed master of the- world for a century, as she ivas after Trafalgar. "The protection of the German colonies and world trade will require s cruiser fleet able to rely on a. few strong land bases and on floating bases in the shape of supply ships. ■ "The Navy League considers it impossible to_ arrive at any agreement with Britain except an agreement consisting of fear of our strength."