North Sea Fighting.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 109, 1 October 1914, Page 7

North Sea Fighting.

CAUTIOUS GERMAN STRATEGY. LITTLE PROSPECT OF BLOCKADE • BREAKING. London, August 19. The position in the North Sea remains somewhat obscure, and all important information about the movement of our Elect is withheld by the, Admiralty; all that is known id that some lighting, not apparently 011 a big scale, has taken plate between our patrolling squadron arid flotillas and German reconnoitring cruisers, and probably, although that fact is not stated with tiie German .torpedo flotillas as well. Germany has several bases for torp"do craft 011 the, Xorth Sea—Emilen, Wilhelnishaven, Cuxhaven, Sylt, and Heligoland, being the principal, and she may be trusted to make full use aa far us she can, of the powers for offensive action which aro afforded her from these ports. IX ITS HARBORS. It may fairly be taken for granted that, as far aa the enemy's main fleet is concerned, it is for the present, at lea: t, shut up in its main harbors, by cur own under Sir John Jellieoe. Nor is it likely to venture out and risk an engagement, unless it can do so under circumstances favorable to itself. Isolated encounters like the one reported tins morning, may, however, ('ike place, and wo have yet to learn how the German cruiser which came in contact with our flotilla managed to escape the watchful eye of otir bloekaders. We must be prepared, however, for incidents of this | kind; a certain amount of blockaderunning is sure to be successfully achieved, but with the short summer nights we are now having the chances of blockade breaking will be much reduced.

OFFICIAL VAC UKXESS. The wording of the Press Bureau with regard to the encounter mentioned above is not as clear as it might be. "A certain livlinoss," we are told in addition to the news of the fighting between our patrolling squadron and flotillas and German reconnoitring cruisers, ''is reported in the soui'them area of the North .Sea." We shall have to wait for the. pood pleasure of the censor to learn exactly what this means. It is, however, unlikely that the enemy's cruisers have scored any material success. LESS POWER FOR MISCHIEF. It soems clear, however, that the pow.er for mischief of the German navy is already much curtailed, if not as yet completely put a stop to, for with the main fleet shut, up within its harbors it will not be long before any of his cruisers which may be abroad on the high seas are run down, although a certain amount of damage may. and probably will, be. inflicted on our trade before this is done.

With all coaling stations closed -to them, however—although a certain limited amount of coaling might be done on the "iiifjli seas—this should not be long in accomplishment. The mere fact that the work of transporting our expeditionary force to the Continent was so' smoothly and successfully carried through is in itself sufficient testimony that already our fleet has for practical purposes succeeded ; n obtaining that command of the sea, Which, in all naval wars of the past has been the great aim and object of our admirals and their strategy.