On the Sea

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVII, Issue 80, 3 August 1915, Page 5

On the Sea

THE GERMAN FLEET.

INACTIVITY JUSTIFIED.

REMARKABLE YEAR'S REVIEW.

United Pkkss Association. London, August 1

Count Reventlow has published a review of the year's naval warfare in the New York World, justifying the German fleet's apparent inactivity. He states that the naval programme was not completed in 1911 ; moreover, when projected, it was not expected that Russia and Japan would be in alliance with Britain. Since the autumn half-a-dozen British submarines

had been in the Baltic assisting the Russians, necessitating the stationing of a portion of the German fleet there. Germany has been suffering from paucity of harbors. Whereas the British knew we were in the Bay of Heligoland, our torpedo-boats had no definite place to hunt the British. The

British had decided upon a strategy of sorties alternating with one of holding us back. She hoped thus continuously to weaken Germany without running serious risk.

Count Eeventlow continues:' —British strategy came to naught owing to the German mines and submarines, which made a continuous stay of the British main fleet in the North Sea impossible. They had to be content with occasional sorties, and then returned to the Irish Sea or to the west and north of Scotland. Well-informed Germans never based any hopes on cruiser warfare, as they knew that forces were lacking to carry it out on a large scale. The glorious career of the Emden came to an end, and von Spec's squadron was destroyed by a tremendously superior force, but the glory which the German sea-lighters won constitutes a lasting success, and always demonstrated that, ship for ship, they were superior to the English. The same thing was shown in the cruiser battle last January, when the Tiger was sunk, the Lion put out of action, and all the other cruisers heavily damaged.

MR BALFOUR'S REPLY

"IMAGINARY TRIUMPHS."

London, August 1

The Press Bureau issues Mr Balfour's reply. Mr Balfour says he does not v desire to be little the courage and skill of German sailors. Doubtless they had done all that was possible in honorable warfare, whereto they were inclined, and the dishonorable warfare required of them by their superiors. The fact that the German fleet avoided fighting was hardly a tfifimph. The exploit was well within the competence of the least efficient fleet under a capable commander. The process of attrition of the British fleet which Germany threatened had not commenced. Not a British ship had either been sunk or seriously damaged in the sea light, and we had not lost even a cockle boat on January 18. The naval equality which Germany desired was now more remote than it was a year ago. Apart from purely imaginary triumphs, Count Reventlow dwells with pride and satisfaction on the attack upon undefended Yorkshire towns. This exploit was as inglorious as it was immoral; two or three last cruisers crossed the North Sea at night, bombarded an open watering place, and killed a number of civilians. After an hour and a half of this gallant performance they retired in safety to their own defended waters. Nevertheless, it would be better to invent stories like the sinking of the Tiger tljan to boast of such feats of arms as that of Scarborough. Count lleventlow's apology for the higher fleet only amounts to praise of German mines and submarines. The mines were scattered at random, and have been responsible for the destruction of much neutral shipping and some vessels.

The submarine/fighting with Germany introduced was nothing except their employment against defenceless merchantmen and unarmed trawlers. This was certainly never foreseen, either at Washington or in London : it was purely German. Count Reventlow is profoundly mistaken if he supposes that thase murderous methods have affected economic life in England in the slightest degree: they have only fixed an indelible stain on the fair name of the German.navy.. . The British have successfully performed all the functions possible; no German commerce or ships are now on the ocean, and Allied commerce is more secure from attack than ever since Trafalgar. The German fleet is so impotent that no invasion of Britain is possible, or has even heen attempted British troops, in number unparalleled in history, moved over the seas and the fleet secured supplies for these armies, and also upon occasion assisted the armies' operations. Germany has seen her colonies wrested from her one by one, while unable to land a man or a gun in their defence. No fleet has ever done more, and citizens of the British Empire can only hope that the second year of the war will show no falling off in success, as it will assuredly show no relaxation of the navy's efforts.

INCREASE IN SHIPPINC. London, August 1. Lloyd's Register discloses that, despite the wastage of war, the shipping tonnage registered in Britain for the year ended .June 30 increased three hundred thousand tons. The recent law facilitating transfer of shipping to the American (lag probably accounts for the Americau increase of ;>")(),OOf) tons.