A BACKGROUND OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 239, 4 July 1940, Page 8

A BACKGROUND OF THE WAR

Kiel And The Canal SCHARNHORST NAMED AFTER GENERAL

The much-battered German battleship Scharnhorst has again been the victim of attacks by British aircraft, the fourth occasion on which she has suffered at the hands of .British warS'liijks or planes. The attacks recoideu in today’s news occurred while she was lying in a dock at Kiel, where the enemy probably thought she was fairly safe. , Kiel is the chief tierman naval port on the Baltic, and this magnificent harbour has apparently been a haven for ships for many centuries. The name Kiel appears as early asi the tenth century in the form of Kyi (probably from the Anglo-Saxon Kille, which meant a safe place for ships). The town also has a place in the history of the days of the old Hanseatic League, but in 1773 it became part of Denmark. Tn Kiel in 1814 was signed the treaty by which Norway was ceded to Sweden. In 1866, with the rest, of Sehleswlg-Holsitein, Kiel passed into the hands of Prussia, and has remained German ever since.

Fine Harbour Its harbour has a comparatively uniform depth of water, averaging 40 feet, and close to the shore 20 feet. It is 11 miles long, and its width varies from a quarter of a mile at. the southern end to 4J milesi at the mouth. The Government docks and shipbuilding yards are on the east side of the harbour, and contain basins capable of accommodating the largest warships afloat.

The principal industries of the town are those connected with the navy and shipbuilding, but there are also flour mills, oil works, iron foundries, printing works, sawmills, breweries, brickworks, and soap, margarine and chemical plants. Kiel also does an important trade in coal, timber, oils, machinery, cereals, fish, butter and cheese. The Kiel Canal

The Kiel Canal connects the North Sea and the Baltic. It is 53.3 nautical miles long, and has a depth of 37.07 feet. Vessels are admitted which do not exceed the following dimensions: Draught. 29.7 feet; width, 131.2 feet; length, 1033.5 feet;, height o-f masts over waterline, 131.2 feet. The highest speed permitted is 8.1 knots, and the lowest 5.4. Tlie canal is owned by the German Reich. The Treaty of Versailles laid down certain conditions concerning its use. As the safest, shortest, most convenient, and cheapest route between the North Sea and the Baltic, it was heavily used by merchant vessels in normal times. General Von Scharnhorst

The name of the battleship, Scharnhorst, commemorates Gerhard Johann David’ von Scharnhorst, a Prussian general of Napoleonic times, who, after the Prussian reverses of that period, camo to realize that a “national” army and a policy of fighting decisive battles alone responded to the political and strategical situation created by the French Revolution.

His great achievement was to convert the professional long-service army of Prussia, which was wrecked by Napoleon at Jena, into the national German army which has since existed, based on universal service. In this he was greatly assisted by Gneisenau, and the names of these two generals were borne in the last war by two of the ships of von Spec’s squadron which, after their success in the Battle of Coronel, were both sunk in the Falkland Islands battle not long afterward. ,

Likewise, Germany started this war with a Scharnhorst and a Gneisenau. The Gneisenau was reported to have been sunk when the Germans invaded Norway. Hour Of Decision . . .

“If we prefer, we can sit passively and wait for the lightning to strike, as so many other countries have done — to their cost —or we can’ take sound preventive measures,” said the Chicago “Daily News” in an editorial believed to have been written by Colonel Knox, one of the Republicans whom President Roosevelt invited to join his Cabinet.

“We must have the most powerful fleet in the world. ... Auxiliary to such a fleet we must build air power. The stunning effects of German air supremacy in the European war to date give emphasis to this.

“If we have the strongest fleet of warships, and tlie best fleets of airplanes, with capacity that cannot he equalled to replace them and add to them, we do not need a great army of soldiers.

“We must also make sure,, without delay, that no French, British or Dutch possessions in this hemisphere fall into German or other European hands. We should not allow Japan to take the Dutch East Indies, a vital source of oil and rubber and tin. .. . For United States

“We must face frankly the fact that to deny the Dutch Indies 'to Japan may mean war. It probably will not, if we show our determination at once.

“There is still another step to be taken. It is to help in every way, short of war itself, those who are now lighting the bestial monster that is making a shambles of Europe. “This step we must take if we have good sense. Far better to help with our material resources now than to have to sacrifice our human resources later. “We owe it to our own security to leave no doubt in the mind of Hitler, and of Mussolini, as to our purpose to help the Allies in every way.” Banker’s Predicament

Baron Eugene de Rothschild, of the famous banking family, arrived at San Sebastian (Spain) recently with only live centimes in his pocket. He was in a crowd of refugees. Labour And Victory

The battle of output on our home front has to te* made the decisive factor. This island as an arsenal has to be the key of the world, wrote Mr. J. L. Garvin in the “Observer,” London, last month.

Then, as .Mr. Herbert Morrison says, “Go to it.” The nation is going to it. Ceaseless exertion by three shifts on weekdays is not enough. In this tusk Sunday is not divided from the week. The sacred thing is to make it the reverse of a day of rest. We dare not intermit. Every moment of continued national exertion will save thousands upon thousands of the lives dear to us.

Tennyson wrote of the “loud Sabbath" of battle when Napoieou fell for ever. Today, among us, is the loudest Sabbath of relentless work for victory and freedom that Britain has known. Labour is greatly inspired. The nation is greatly led. .Mr. Churchill with rising emergency grows iu stature as in calmness of command. His chief colleagues for war-production are a tnasforiy triumvirate. They are driving it. They will do it.