TWELVE MONTHS OP SEA WARFARE

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2530, 3 August 1915, Page 5

TWELVE MONTHS OP SEA WARFARE

ACCORDING TO THE GERMAN AND THE BRITISH VIEW. London, August 1. Count von ReventloW, the well-known German writer, has published a review of tlio year's naval warfare in the "New York "World," justifying the German Fleet's apparent inactivity. He states that Germany's naval programme was not completed in 1914. -Moreover, when it was projected, it was liot expected that Japan and Russia would be.in alliance with Britain. Sinco, the autumn, half a dozen British submarines had beon in tho Baltic assisting the Russians, thus necessitating tho stationing-' of a portion of the' German Fleet there. "Germany has been suffering from a paucity of harbours, whereas tho British knew we wore at bay behind Heligoland. Onr torpedo-boats - had no definite place to hunt the British. The British had decided upon tho \ strategy of sorties, alternating with one of holding back. They hoped thus continuously to weaken Germany without running any serious risk." The British desired to avoid a serious encoiintor, otherwise the Admiralty . "" feared it would be weaker than tho United Statos. British strategy camo to nought owing to German mines and submarines, which made a continuous stay of the British Main Fleet in the North Sea impossible. It had to bo content with occasional sorties, and then returned to the Irish Sea or west and north, of Scotland. Well-informed Germans.had never based any hopes on cruiser,' warfare. They know the forces wore lacking to carry it out on a largo scalo, Tho glorious career of the Emden camo to an end, Von Spee's squadron was destroyed by a tremendously superior force, hut tho glory which the' German sea-fighters won constitutes a lasting success. They . always demonstrated that, ship for ship, they wero superior <to the English. ' - Tho same thing was shown" in tho cruiser battle in January, when thai .. Tiger Was sunk, the Lion put out of action, and all tlio .other cruisers heavily damaged. ' -

Mr. Balfour's Reply. The Press Bureau issues Mr.* Balfour's reply. He says l\e does liofc desire in belittle tlio courage and skill of the German tailors. Without- doubt the.v had doiie all possible in honourable' warfare to which they inclined, and tho dishonourable war faro required of them by their superiors. The fact that tile German Fleet avoided lighting was bardly' a triumph. Tbo exploit was well within tbo competence of'-the least efficient _ fleet and the least capable commander. Tiie process of attrition, on the liritisb Fleet which Germany Lad threatened had not commcnced. Not a British ship was cither sunk or seriously damaged in a< sea light-. We did not loso.a cockle-boat on January 18. The naval equality which Germany desired was more remote than a year ago. Apart purely from imaginary triumphs, Count Reventlow dwells with pride and satisfaction on the attack upon undefended Yorkshire towns. This exploit was as inglorious as it was immoral. Two or three fast cruisers crossed tbo North Sea at night and bombarded an open catering place, and killed a number of civilians. After an hour and a; half cf this gallant performance it rotired to tbo safety of its own defended waters.

Nevertheless, it was better to .invent stories like the sinking of the Tiger than boast, of such feats or arms as that at Scarborough. Count Reventlow'3 apology for the higher' fleet only amounts to praise of German mines and submarines. Mines scattered at random bad been responsible for the destruction of much neutral shipping and somo war vessels. Mr. Balfour adds that, in her submarine - fighting, Germany has introduced nothing except the employment of submarines against defenceless' merchantmen and unarmed trawlers. This, certainly, was never'foreseen either in Washington or London. It was purely German. Count Revent-low was profoundly mistaken if he supposed that such murderous methods affected tbo economic life of England in the slightest degree. They only fixed an indelible stain 011 the fail - name of Germany's Navy. The British successfully performed all the functions possible. No German vessels <of coinmerco were now on the ocean, while the Allied commercc'.'was securer from attack than after Trafalgar. The German Fleet was impotent, and no invasion of Britain was possible, or had been oven attempted. "British troops, in numbers'unparalleled in-,]iistory. havo been moved over t'he seas, and the Fleet lias secured the supplies of these armies, and upon occasions assisted in th» armies' operations. Germany -lias seen her colonies wrested from_ her one by 'one, whilo she has been unable to land a. man or a gun for their defence. No fleet has ever done more. Tlio citizens of the British Empire can only hope that the second year of the war will show no falling off in tlie Fleet's success, as it will assuredly show no relaxation' of the Navy's efforts."

EMBLEMS OF A BROKEN TREATY ' BRUSSELS PEOPLE WILL WEAR "SCRAPS OF PAPER."i (Rec. August 2, 7.30 p.m.) ' The Hague, 'August 2. The people of Brussels have decided to wear pieces of torn paper on: August 4 to mark the anniversary of wliat tlie German Chancellor (Horr von Bethmann Holhveg) termed Belgian neutrality—"a scrap of paper." • As the Germans have forbidden the wearing of insignia, speculation is rifff' as to whether all the Brusselois will be imprisoned. (Rec. August 2, 8.45 p.m.) Havre, August 2. The Belgian Staff is publishing documents contradicting the German: calumny that because of a conspjraoy with England Belgium violated her . own neutrality. Tho documents show that Belgium in August disposed hor forces on all lier boundaries in readiness for an attempt from any direction.