MEANING OF NAVAL DEFEAT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 1382, 6 April 1915, Page 4

MEANING OF NAVAL DEFEAT.

The note of misgiving which the cable indicates has recently crept into the contributions of naval writers in the German press was in evidence in a speech de-

livered by Grand Admiral von Koster a few weeks ago. He uttered the warning; “We know that the naval battle means death or victory, and that, once a fleet has been destroyed, it can never be renewed during the course of the same war, even if the campaign goes on for years.’’ Grand Admiral von Koster was some time commander of the High Sea Fleet, and is still better known as the veteran president of the Navy League. Alter reminding his audience that for the fleet to accept battle was to slake all on death or victory, Grand Admiral von Koster proceeded : “We must, therefore, in all circumstances, be cautious in our actions, and not allow ourselves to be templed into taking any action in the performance of which we might be defeated. For what would be the result it a naval battle took place to-morrow in which each of our ships was accompanied to the bottom by one of the enemy’s ships and perhaps by even a lew more? Then we should be without a fleet, while .England would be able to proceed step by step with her attacks upou our coasts. That, then, no town would be spared, of that yon may be certain, in view of what England has done in our colonies. Our coast from Emden to Memel would be most seriously menaced. Attempts to land might succeed, if they were adequately prepared beforehand, and they might be made at points at which they would be in the highest degree inconvenient for us. Our fleet must, in all circumstances. protect us, and must accept battle only when it can count on success. We must emerge unvanquished both on sea and on land, in order that we may win for ourselves an honourable peace which shall shake England’s world dominion to its foundations. May God grant us the victory.”