A GERMAN NAVAL VISIT.

Evening Post, Volume LXVIII, Issue 56, 3 September 1904, Page 9

A GERMAN NAVAL VISIT.

During tho week the visit of a powerful German squadron — eight battleships and seven er ui.se rs — to Plymouth has caubed a, considerable amoimt of pcrtnrbation in the public mind, or, at »ny rate, in fhe public pr*M». For ourselves, wo cannot hdp feeling tliat tho anxiety and annoyance thus displayed aro wholly unworthy. We- all knew before that Uie German navy existed, and knew, also, it« great strength in home waters. To be alarmed, uot bettiu.su it exists and because of tho fiolicy behind it, but moroty because it ins been made vim hie in Plymouth Sound, is a piece of childishness unworthy of the nation. The talk of preventing German warships visiting our ports is equally unworthy. Instead of being annoyed at Germany's naval strength and at the ea&e with winch her battleships visit us, let us determine to maintain our own fleet in such power Ilia I, while keeping a« many ships abroad ns before, we aro always stronger than Germany in tlie North Sea. To lose our equanimity and our manners because Germany is kind enough to insist that wo shall nob play the- ostrich, but shall raiso our heads out of the sand and look at licr ironclads, is deplorable. The resolve to command the sea in all waters, whether at home or abroad, and not an outburst of hysterical and quite unjustifiable, annoyance, ia the spirit in which to receive the visit of Germany's splendid fleet.