BRITISH AS FOES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 248, 29 March 1915, Page 6

BRITISH AS FOES.

DREAD OF ENGLISH VICTORY.

V.HAT THE JiNEvIY REALISES, (.Delayed Cable), London,, March St \ The Official Press .bureau has just l made available the translation of an J article in the Hamburg daily paper, Hamburger Naehrichten, of January 31. The article, which is headed "Conflict with England," states:— Tlie increased vigor with which Ger-' many has recently pressed the offensive against England is without doubt a gratifying symptom of tlie present phase of the campaign. ' After reviewing the raids on. the English coast and the attacks Fy dirigibles ifliid submarines in order, to resist the starving-out policy initiated by England, the article Continues:— , - "Behind tile German, front on the wost lis drawn up, so to, spca-kjsp second battle line, whioh, we.can.rest assured,, wont I give any more than the Germans in ' Northern France, which, have continual-. : ly inflicted deadly blows upon the British. Army. "It is not without significance that, an expert official opinion was recently made regarding the range of the German naval coast gunsj the chief point of which lies in the assertion that fromi Calais' Har-- ! bor the defences of Dover can he bombarded over a> front of. nine kilometres. The'foregoing makes it clear that Germany's position, both east and west is such as to enable her to prosecute the offensive against her chief enemy even more vigorously-than even.

ENGLAND'S FIGHTING QUALITIES. Our high military commanders have repeatedly declared that the English long-service soldier was an adversary to be taken very seriously; and'tlie result of tue-naval engagements up to the present have proved that the English navy" fully realises its duties and responsibilities. It therefore follows that, a conflict with England will demand fresh exertions and sacrifices.

"England lias already had good' reason to realise the extreme peril' and gravity of the situation. Yet there could be no greater error than to underestimate' the- importance of"a- war with England, which, is now only entering on its first serious stage. In all wars she has waged in the past England has fought with persistence and' endurance —qualities which will doubtless be again revealed in the present struggle. "But we Germans are not only aware of our own powers, and of the weak spot where we can pierce England's armor, But we realise for what'stakes we are playing. We kflow that' <jhe entire world'is looking on in this par Germany and England, and'that the country which goes under- will lose beyond" all" words in the'estimation of the whole world,* while its fall'will add power- and' prestige to the victbr.-

WE HAVE STAKED OUR ALL. "Recognition of the fact, thai the victory of England would destroy Ger-' many'u, future for centuries to come must spur us on to the greatest efforts and'sacrifices. A German'defeat apart from any war indemnity that would burden future generations wouldin all probability so cripple our resources that we should no longer be able even to contemplate the reconstruction of our military and economic forces or the creation of a fleet fo vie with that of England. With this knowledge"-and consciousness we have staked our all, and if -England, our most hated' and most dangerous enemy, should succeed in conquering Germany, she would' humiliate us and trample upon us to the uttermost.

"We enter this struggle- with set teeth, registering a vow of war against England. We are joyfully prepared to sacrifice the best Gernian- strength, courage and grit that patriotism can offer."'

The Official Press Bureau thus comments upon the article:— "This tirade is presumably semi-offic-ial or inspired. Since it is communicated from Berlin. It is interesting as showing the remarkable ffiange in German opinion of the value ofth'e British as foes, as well as the change in the atti : tude towards the war. The significance' of "this article lies in the contrast between early flights of optimism and'the later descent to the grinr reafistics* of the actual situation."