GERMAN NAVAL CHIEF.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 February 1918, Page 7

GERMAN NAVAL CHIEF.

A BLATANT INTERVIEW. The following is an account of an interview published in the Zurehcr Poat (Switzerland) between the German Chief of the Admiralty, Admiral Scheer, and Gustave Eberletn, a representative of that journal, who is travelling through i Germany: "Do you intend," asked the interviewer, "with the improved system of defence in England, not to use the Zeppelins any more for attack?" "The airship is now, as before, an excellent weapon of attack for over the sea, and I .hope that the British will still have to experience this. At the same time we have to consider, on the day arranged for attack, whether the conditions are more favorable to airships or aeroplanes. The weather has been unfavorable for 1 airships for some time now. The war has upset the winds, as it has everything. By rights we ought to be having the wind from the west, but it is always blowing from the east. That is very fine for the journey over, but it hinders the return journey. And then the enemy flyers. An airship can, of course, rise faster than an aeroplane. But what can a Zeppelin do with its machine gun if its opponents throw explosive bombs? For reconnaissance, yes, the Zeppelins are of inestimable value : but my conviction is that the future belongs to the aeroplane." "Were the Zeppelins of much use in the Skagerack battle in this capacity?" "Unfortunately, no. On account of the weather we could not send out any Zeppelin on the day appointed, so that the fleet could not be supported. Only on the next day some Zeppelins left the Halle, but they could not see any more of the enemy than we could, nameiy, nothing." Referring to the battle of the Pkagcrack, the Admiral said: "There was no doubt in the minds of our leaders that we were faced by the whole of the British chief sea-power. The moment had come to decide whether Germany's young Beet should measure itself with the almost doubly large British Fleet. The fate of a nation was in the hands of their leaders. The precious moments were passing. A quick decision was essential. It was 'Attack,' What decided me to take this course was the sound Intelligence of our men. It was not in accordance with a mapped-out plan; that is not the way on the \.ater. If I had wanted to avoid coming into contact with the superior numbers of Jellieoe's Fleet I might have turned off and withdrawn, but that was out of the question, as it would have looked like flight and would have been equivalent to a lost battle. Our manner of attack soon proved to be the best, for it was unexpected to the enemy, and forced him to fight with individual ships, instead of direct-' ing his whole force upon us." "Will the records of the battle, from the German point of view, have to be much corrected?" asked the interviewer. "No, certainly not much. Naturally what we have reported in regard to the enemy's losses we cannot exactly prove. But the fact remains that the young German fleet, even if the records were based on the British assertions, was not beaten by the immensely'bigger British Fleet."

! "A good deal has been heard of a coming sea fight between the Entente fleets and the German. Do you believe this possible?" "That depends absolutely on the British," and the Admiral 'smiled. "We ourselves have no interest in seeking it, but it will always find us ready. In the meantime the submarines are doing their good work against the Entente merchant vessels. As regards the immense superiority of our united enemies' fleets, the building up of our commercial marine is very doubtful during the war." "Do the submarine promise much?" "Everything. There are not two minds about that in our marine service. Naturally we cannot definitely state a term, but a child can reckon that with a continuance of the present rate of sinkings the day must come when England will see that she must give in." "But the loss of submarines—the new means of defence?" "We have not yet noticed any other means of defence beyond the guns, nets, and mines." "Then it is difficult to understand Lloyd George's lately expressed optimism?" "Lloyd George must speak in that way. I repeat that we rwait the moment of revelation with unshakable certainty. Sooner or later this day will come." "So it is merely a question of holding out for the Germans ?" "Yes. German endurance against British obstinacy is the solution. With all due respect to the British obstinacy, we have no need to take our hats off to it. It is true that lately things have not gone well with the German people, but they arc used to being handicapped, they arc ready for sacrifices. Thank God we are not so spoilt as the Tiriton What ho has yet to learn we know already. He will not benr privations as long as tin" Germans. Nation against nation! Privations against privations! Hunger against hunger!"— Central News.