GERMANY'S FLEET.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 348, 29 November 1915, Page 7

GERMANY'S FLEET.

ITS PURPOSE DISCOVERED. AND THE FUTILE BRITISH (NAVY. A writer in the “Dresdner Anzieger” makes an heroic attempt to discover “what we have to thank ou)r fleet for.” As the result of one and a half columns of futile exploration he comes to the conclusion that gratitude is due to the High Canal Armada for “preventing the landing of a Russian ajrmy of invasion on our Baltic coast” and also for frustrating “the scheme so often and exhaustively advocated in the British Press for landing a British slrmy on the coast of Belgium recapturing Antwerp, maching across Belgium, and menacing Cologne and the Rhine.” The writer comes to the conclusion that Germans will not be able to “appreciate the full importance of our undecimated, battle-ready, and battleworthy fighting fleet until after the end of the war.” Von Tirpitz used to say that the German Navy was created for the purpose of “defending our colonies and oversea trade.” In its paean of gratitude the “Dresdner Anzieger” makes no reference to the achievements of the fleet in these directions. I Another German newspaper, the Berlin "Kreuzzeitung,” is greatly concerned at the continued inactivity of the | British Fleet—

The English Fleet has hitherto contented itself with playing the none too heroic '.role cf a sort of watch-and-clos-ing committee of the world’s seas. In England, of course, they are quite satisfied with the results gained. Among the Allies, however, who hav r e been allotted by far the most difficult part in the war ;e, the lelief which England’s most formidable Navy could bring would be thankfully hailed. In France the misgivings as to the possible action of the Britsh Fleet are growing so acute'that hapdly a day passes when the French papers do not publish an article to soothe the agitation and comfort the feelings of the people in regard to the problematic behaviour of the potent,' but supq(r-pru-dent ally.

“Her rest is as effective as her action,” says M. Mille, alluding to Britain’s Fleet. We make bold to transpose thi s phrase so that it runs—“ Her action is as effective as her rest.”

T’he “Kreuzzeitung” is quite welcome to have it either way. The point is that the German fleet is still in the position of the henpecked husband who crawled under the bed to escape his wife’s vengance, and, declaring hi s intention of being maser in his own house, resolutely Refused to come out and be thlrashed.