THE GERMAN NAVY.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXX, Issue 3, 21 August 1914, Page 4

THE GERMAN NAVY.

That the Emperor's consistent advocacy in favour of increased warshipj building has borne fruit is shown by the fact that the latest Naval estimates report Germany as having 312 ships of war, manned by 80,000 men, and with a reserve personnel of over 100,000. The ships are classified as follows:—Battleships 33, cruisers 53, torpedo boats 80, destroyers 123 and submarines 23. Naval experts all agree that the Germany Navy is in many respects equal to our own. The sailors are well organised and splendidly instructed, and the officers are second to none in the world, according to a naval correspondent in the Sydney Daily Telegraph. They are younger too in the higher branches than in the English Navy, as captains are retired at 50, while the British captain continues service until he is 55. A German vice-admiral, too, is forced to retire at 56, while in the British Navy he remains on until the ripe age of 65. j Whatever mistakes the Kaiser has politically made be has certainly soundly organised his navy, which is solidly | 'backed rn b;v the German Army, wit'

its 1,500,000 men. This, tnen, is_ tn« mighty force against which the British Navy—or the major portion of it—is hourly expected to hurl itself. Should this expectation be realised, the story of the struggle will occupy a foremost place in history, and Britain will once more have stepped forth to settle vexed problems of nations while "all the world wondered."