THE NEW TRAFALGAR.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 177, 26 May 1916, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE NEW TRAFALGAR.

JACK TAR EAGERLY WAITING FOR "THE DAY."

By HORATIO BOTTOMLKY (in (lie "Sunday Pictorial.") In view of the rumoured activity of tiie German Fleet, Mr. Bottomley traces the origin of («ersnany's naval power, and draws a wonderful and inspiriting picture of the great sea struggle which shall end for ever the Kaiser's mad ambition. After his many splendid messages to the trendies, this powerful article will he ready with avidity by the lads at sea.

Wncn, in IS9O, by an act of the most stupendous folly to be found in all the political annals of our land, we ceded to Germany the, great roj'-: island ot Heligoland, thus providing a protection for the Kiel Canal, and a splendid naval base, wo laid the foundation ot the Kaiser's war scheme. It was, on our part, an act of naval suicide —as I have always contended. And there was no excuse, for the Government. Did not Lord Roscbery warn it? Did not lie quote the opinion of Admiral Russerl, expressed in ISO 7, when we took over Heligoland, that "with a small expense this inland could lie made :i second Gibraltar- a key to the Rivers Fins, Elbe, W'oser, Wesel and Mouse'' ? But who cared ? It was part of a deal —cunningly engineered by the Kaiser's advisers; and smiled upon by the Court of the' day. How the young Kaiser must have ' laughed at us! If lie ever said his prayers 1 am sure he alwavs concluded, with "God bless Lord Salisbury. ' lor: was not it this Minister—this PRIME Minister—of the orown who told ui ' that "the value of the island for any, strategic purpose is very small"!'' * * * * Th.' cat was out of the bag. Every man has tho defects of his qualities, an.l i one of tho defects of the dualities of tho Kaiser U his recklessness of speech.; Hence, when he went to take possession j of tho island, this is what he said (I wond'.T how many of our politicians noticed tho words?): "This island has been CHOSEN BY ME as a bu'.wark ir.j tho sea—a place of harboti'' and safety, in tho German Ocean agn.st any enemy who shall ever dare to attac* ' us." And when, ten years later, h 1900 the German Parliament passed tltc first great Navy Bill, this is vi.at its preamble declared: "German" must have a navy of such size that even for the greatest Power in the world, war with her would involve such risk as would jeopardise its own supremacy, j You know who "the greatest nav.n power in tho world" was, don't you? # * * #

When Homer is forgotten, when Milton's noblest lines have passed into oblivion, that rhythmic utterance, sonorous as a war drum's throbbing note, thrilling as a clarion's silver peel, shall echo down the highways of the ages, and stir great men to glorious deeds. Duty- duly-duty-that is its mignty major note; that is its undcrs< ng. Can wo better it? i thjnk not—l know that in the battle hour the same leonine cry will throb along our lines and. awake tho spirits of the bulldogs ef the brine. Wo KNOW that our Navy stands today as nearly perfect as genius and money, hard and dangerous work, toil and sleepless care could nnke it. We know Hie calibre of our Admirals and officer."?, and I dare vouch that never had England a greater or a grander set of sailors to draw upon. 1 know the brilliant galaxy of talent whose name... cluster like stars around tho memory of Nelson- names history (ease to honour—but who is lie w'n will dare affirm that we have not officers as great, sailing and serving at tin's hour under tho British flag? All that wo have to do is to trust them. Wo know the power and desperation i r tho foe: know that in tho coming battle, which may leap out of the womo of time to-day, to-morrow or a month heme, wo shall be tried as we haro never been tried before —BUT WE SHALL WIN. We are ready • the whole

nation is ready; our sailors aro more than ready—they are eager to measure the strength of the enemy. We need not shout it to the skies; that is not our way—silently, sternly, grimly an 1 grandly wo await "the day"—ana inc foe, ho lias been over long in keeping the promised tryst. Please God. it will he tho last he will ever keep. I see, in my mind, tho dawning i f that day. A cold, dull sky : ;angs over head, tho ocean's lap is grey, and m between tho sea and sky a mist like a curtain hangs. A hush is on the watc.-s that wash tho warship's sides; each heaving billow lips the steel in very wantonness of motion. And as I gazo a wind springs up that rr.lls away the morning haze, and 1 see our Fleet — Dreadnought ind super-Dreadnought, battleship and cruiser, gunboat and destroyer, and all the host of minor craft that go to make a "modern Navy. I see the Admiral i flagship riding proudly in the van, and on her quarto •-

And now, Heligoland, at a cost of over a hundred millions of money, HAS been converted into an impregnable fortress, and to-day tlure arc rumours that th-o German Fleet is coming out. Fifty vessels have been sighted off the coast of Holland that coast which ought, for the duration of the war, to el> in our hands. And people are beginning to think. Of course, it may oe that they have come out just for an airing—or to see whether, after standing so long, the engines are still in working order. DLL IT MAY MEAN" MUCH MORE. It may mean that, beaten in the West and foiled in tho East, yet one more desperate stroke must bo hazarded before the final collapse. For aught wo know, much may hav<j been happening behind Heligoland during the past eighteen months. New ships, new guns —all kinds of devices of Hun devilry—may have been accumulated. There are very significant signs that something of the kind ha.s boon going on. In short, we may be on the evo of a new Trafalgar. Hay the spirit of Nelson inspire our Fleet. All the signs and portents point to the coming struggle, the day for which every naval man, bluejacket or officer, serving under the British flag, has been yearning with a longing unspeakable

deck a stern mail —standing still and statuesque, as though carved out nl bronze- He gazes with eagle eyes towards the mists that lay to seatva-'d, and as ho looks, the lirst rays of the wintry sunlight cut through the silve-v veil, and all the might of Germany upon the waters stands revealed—ships equal to our best in size and weight of guns, ride high above tho waves; ships of every size and shape and make, we'l found, well manned and ready for cle* fray. Their hated ensign floats ill th 1 breeze, answering the challenge of our own. Our Admiral lifts his hand, an.l in the voice of Neb-on upon the waters rise tho words: "ENGLAND EXPECTS THAT EVERY MAN THIS DAY WILL DO HIS DUTY." A mighty cheer that heaven's angels must hear rolls out across the seas The big guns speak in one deep-throated roar. Gun responds to gun like lions about to spring, and sky and sea grow vi brant to tho shock. * * * Back comes the answer from the German ships, with tl.e crash of an earthquake . Ships crumple up like carlboard; the riven leeks awash with human bleod. Our cruisers flash alo.ig the foemen's lines and give them gun for gun. Our greyhounds of the deep leap into action; they sweep the seas with iron as they speed; torpedoes burst with shattering force 'gainst triple-plated steel and rend it asunder. Ships freighted wiLh thousands of the bravest are blown up and the seas are strewn with the living and the dead; strong men in thousands °;o down to tho nethermost depths; ships heel over, like wounded water-fowl, and turn turtle, til! their keels grin to the skies; Dreadnoughts uproar themselves an 1 dive, stern foremost, to the bottom ol the grey North Sea—hunnn life is is 1 illio worth as pebbles on a sea-swept-beach. Oar cup ol agony is brimmi.ig full, but Germany's has over-flowed. Tito shattered remnant of their fleet wheel as the sea-birds wheel, and fly Jor saletv. Then from the throats ol (Mir victorious bests rings out- t-ne vengeful cry: '• .Remember the Lu>ltani;i; remember the butchered women and babes."; and every gun takes up tho cry in tones articulate, v.hil-t vengeance growK m terms of lead and iron. * * •K Cruiser and battleship, gunboat and destroyer, one by one, dive to th >ir doom in the slime of the ocean, carrving the vanquished foemen with the.n. Thus ends the glorious died of d<-sii:i.-•-■the answer 4 o our prayers. HORATIO BOTTOM I. KV

ever since the war pennons fluttered in the breeze and the dogs of war were unleashed. W« have no doubt as to the ultimate issue, hut in our souls we knowthat this time we are fronted by a foe who has left nothing to chance, a foe great in science and re-ouice, a foe who, in the guise of friendship, sent emissaries to our shores in the piping times of peace to spy upon our dockyards and capacity of our latest creation!! in naval warfare. * * * * The fo<, wo liavo to meet sent spies m the guise of common workmen; sent them as draughtsmen and engineers; sent them as men and women of fashion, primed to ask seemingly innocent questions, spies that came robed even in the royal purple and in the person of princes. Spies who wire the nation's guests; and limy did their work well, in;- Tv-sign ol ilmost e\ery ship, the pattern and calibre of nearly ever; gun of ours, th.oy knew, and where they could they improved upon their knowledge. That is the enemy who, after long months of ivaiting, now has a fleet of every kmd of craft, ridin" at anchor, waiting fer 'The Day." The day that will send a thrill around the universe such as no event m human history has ever equalled; for all mankind, friends and fees alike, know well that on the decision of that day the fu-

t mo el' the world will rest. Can man born of woman ; mvnt or conceive a liner motto fur err lads 'n blue, iu the dread hour whan decks are cleared for action, than Nelson's immortal signal, "England expects that every man this day will do h's duty'?