THE MEN ON THE SHIPS.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 77, 30 November 1914, Page 3

THE MEN ON THE SHIPS.

A London naval critic emphasises the weaknes of the German Navy in trained men by quoting the following figures, showing how the German fleet is manned to-day: —Long service volunteers, 17.000; conscripts who haye served afloat 34 months, 16,000; conscripts wdio uuve served, afloat P2 riiontlis, 18,000. 4 conscripts w r ho have served afloat 10 months, 20,000; total 71,000; reservists recalled to active service including •’ -T men discharged on October 1, 1913, 1912, 1911, 50,000; grand total 121,000. These figures may be accepted as representing the standard of efficiency in the German flet at the present moment. It is desperately weak in skilled ratings' as Grand Admiral von Tirpitz admitted in so many words. Moreover owing to tliis deficiency there is reason to believe that the older ships had for some time prior to the outbreak of war received little attention. When the reserves were called up, it must have been necessary to readpusts the complements of practically all the shops in tha German Navy except those of the mosquito, class, and the effect must have been to lower the efficiency of the active, fleet in order to provide for the needs of 'the, reserve fleet.