THE DREADNOUGHT.

Otago Witness, Issue 2892, 18 August 1909, Page 45

THE DREADNOUGHT.

IMPRESSIONS OF A SPY

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

LONDON, June 18.

The strange story of a German spy at Portsmouth is published in a Leipsig magazine called Hammer. The spy, who calls himself "Nucleus," describes the state of the dockyard very accurately. He was present at the inspection of the fleet by the colonial Prime Ministers in May, 1907, and he wrs also present at the launch of the Dreadnought, and has some caustic comments upon that ship. He says : " The much-discussed DTeadnouyht is a failure, misbegotten from bow to stern. . . . This ship is not worth the money it has

cost to build her. The rivets that hold her armour plates together were hurriedly and carelessly put in. They wanted to show how fa-st they could build a ship. The result is that the ship is continually in dockyard hands, and must be docked frequently. In the engine-room and stokeholds the heat is too great for the ventilators and fans. A delightful youngster who had been engaged in the building of her told me on the eve of the launch, ' She will aJwajis be in repair, sir.' Two days later the General Staff in Berlin knew this, but it was onily seven months later that the confirmation of it, despite the secrecy of the Admiralty, appeared in the London newspapers, with full details."

" Nucleus " is satisfied with British naval officers, and considers them the equal of the German naval officer. " They are more quiet and less keen to outward appearance, but they are steady and devoted

to duty, with that curious kind of latent discipline which I have called the possession of the Anglo-Saxon race. It is a discipline that does not so much imply a rigorous bearing as honest thinking, and in time of need by tacit consent sets all working together without loud, shrill orders. But Britain is waking up at last. Through the failures of our 'parade politics ' we have created suspicion in the British mind, and this fear is the motive power for enormous exertions. Germany is, therefore, to blame for these giant preparations which are aimed at us more strenuously than ever. To overcome them seems almost unthinkable, but the goal is thinkable, and • approachable if we work toward it, so to strengthen our sea power that to destroy us even by a Pyrrhic victory would mean enormous loss to the English. Until then we must wait, work,

and not despair."