THE GERMAN RAIDER.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 31, 5 February 1916, Page 4

THE GERMAN RAIDER.

The news that one German raider is at large in thp Atlantic, and that another, a much more powerful ship, is also reported to be there, is doubtless disconcerting, but such an event was not unforeseen. At the commencement of the war the liability of British shipping to be attacked by German raiders was pointed out in these columns as a possibility at any time. It may be asked what chance of success these German raiders can have against the British warships which will be sent in pursuit of them. In reply, it may be said that, although such raiders are doomed sooner or later to fall into the British net which has been spread for them, they will nevertheless have sufficient time to inflict no inconsider_ jle damage on British shipping. In this connection, the career of tbe Alabama and her sister Confederate cruisers is instructive. For two years destroying -in thax-tarie moretfa'an'sixty' American vessels, mostly sailing ships. Northern pruisers were frequently sent in pursuit of her,, yet for two years she succeeded in baffling them all, until she was sunk in the British Channel off Cherbourg by the enemy's ship KearsageShe could also easily have evaded the Kearsage if sh-* had wanted to do so, but the captain of the Alabama rashly challenged his enemy to single combat, with the result that his own ship was sunk. On the only other occasion when she fought a Federal ship the encounter was also of her own choosing, and resulted in the enemy being sunk after a combat which lasted only thirteen minutes.

It must be remembered that at that time there were no oceanic cables of any importance; tbe first transatlantic cable was laid in J 8.66, though there had been interrupted communication before that] date. It was Captain Semmes' plan, on . arriyjng at a neutral port, to calculate j the time' required for news of his move-1 ments to reach the enemy at tbe nearest point where a Federal cruiser was likely to be ; stationed; then perhaps a few hours before an enemy warship could arrive he would weigh anchor. In these days of wireless telegraphy and great ocean cables it would perhaps be impossible for the Alabama to repeat her exploits for anything like the same length of time But \t must also be remembered that the Alabama had not such a rich field to work as a German raider would have; for British shipping has always been much more numerous- on the high seas than American. ' The Alabama had ah advantage over a modern cruiser, in that she was not so dependent on coal, and could consequently keep the sea for longer periods. But to-day the use of oil' fuel, for which tbe raider might be 'fitted, might greatly facilitate the operations of a hostile cruiser. A ship driven by coal fuel has" hot the same radius of action* she has frequently to come into port to renew her supplies, thereby revealing her whereabouts, ahd coal might even be refused her UMder such conditions in any neutral port. Coaling at sea is often impossible. When the German cruisers were abroad, the Admiralty aimed at cutting them off" from coal supplies. A shjp driven by oil fuel, on the other hand, can carry a sufficient supply to take her right round the world, and she can easily be supplied with oil at sea from another ship. Looking for a ship in the middle of the ocean is like looking for a needle in a haystack, and she may continue her depredations for a Jong time without bejng'discQvere.d- A cordon of warships may be necessary t° locate and surround her, but in any case her fate is pnly a question of time.

None of the German raiders which operated at the beginning of the war had a long career, but it is possible that different tactics will now be adopted. The Emden might have greatly prolonged jier career bad it not been for her habit of raiding isolated points; she tried it once too often, and it was her undoing. Had she been supplied with oil fuel, and Simply kept at sea. without coming into port, pr attacking outlying stations, it would have' been difficult to locate her. on'the' gre*t"!Kean"'feigbways of travel ship? t rsquently pass and an easy prey, to an enemy which lies in wait for them, "and when the "htie""and cry" is raisgi nothing is easier than to depart silently for qther fields. But if GeriUftn raiders can adopt new tactics, "so can British warships, and, as' we said the ptjhp*-day, the Navy is better equipped for this work than it was. A cordon of cruisers operating in certain waters might render the movements of the enemy extremely difficult. In any ease, we "may take it for granted that the British Admiralty is wide awake, and that by this time squadrons are in motion to deal with the raiders.