WILL THE HUN NAVY COME OUT?

Taranaki Daily News, 23 June 1917, Page 9

WILL THE HUN NAVY COME OUT?

— | PROISAISIUTY uP AN KAMA' SKA iSATTLK. Those with an inside knowledge of hoxv tilings are trending incline . strongly towards the belief that recent'events have increased flic probability of a naval battle at) an early date (says the naval correspondent of the Weekly Dispatch). Without entering minutely into the reasons for this inference, ono may say that the pundits who keep asking "When will the German licet come out?" have grasped the wrong end of the stick. The determining question is no longer, "When will the German fleet comq out?" but, 'tflow much longer will the German fleet be able to stay in?" One may argue that there is no difference in substance between these queries. But there is—and a very wide one. Hitherto it has rested jritli the Germans to say when a sea lmttle should he fought or whether one should be fought at all. Tn so far as this important decision was involved, our fleet lias been at the enemy's disposal, as it were. Now, circumstances are gradually depriving the Germans of this strong advantage. 'Whether willingly or otherwise, the high sea§ fleet may soon be obliged to leave its,, "dug-outs" and accept the light' that is waiting for it.