THE GERMAN NAVY AND THE NEXT WAR

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 75, 25 September 1914, Page 2

THE GERMAN NAVY AND THE NEXT WAR

(From the Basle Correspondent of Le Matin, April, 1914.) "This evening his Excellency Admiral Browsing will give an address on the following subject: — 'Our fleet; its future and its political role.' It was in a Swiss newspa]:>er at Basle that I read on 22nd April this surprising advertisement. Who was this Admiral who felt the need of unburdening his mind in Switzerland. Naturally it was a German Admiral, and the address was given under the auspices of the German Naval League. "Let us not slander the boundless hospitality of the Swiss to both man and ideas. In the town where Bartholdi's monument ' recalls the generous aid given by Basle to besieged Strasburg, we cannot object even to the holding of a meeting to expound Pan-Germanism. But one would think that though the Swiss law allows it, tact would forbid such propaganda in a neutral country. It is true that in German eyes Basle is a country already conquered. They have refrained from fortifying Huningen, in Alsace, two miles from Basle. On the other hand, at the very gate of the old free city, they have reared the fort of Iskin, which commands the railway lines of Baden station. This station, which is German property, is in Swiss territory. One cannot see its wide front and its network of lines without realising that there is one of the most important points for German mobilisation. By it will come in case of war German troops from the south for use on the French frontier. Moreover, there are 50,000 Germans in the canton of Basle, so Admiral Browsing was, so to speak, at home, as he rose to address the several hundreds who were drawn by his advertisement. In accents sharp and commanding, in manner dogmatic, the admiral began with a history of the German fleet, from 1895 to our days. He recounted the immense efforts, thanks to which Germany,} practically without a fleet in 1895,. will have in 1915 a fighting strength of 889,000 tons on the water. From the admiral's comments one gathered that Britain had forced the sacrifice on the Fatherland. "We saw," he declared, " America crush Spain, Britain humiliate France and massacre the Boers. Everywhere the weak were crushed. So the German people awoke, and at length understood that if they were rot to sink to the position of vassals of the Anglo-Saxon, they must betome a maritime power." The events above-mentioned inspired them with the rrsolve to redouble their efforts begun at their Emperor's suggestion in 1895. After describing in detail progress in building and arming ships and in coastal defence, the admiral painted an arresting picture of the next war. He described the ticklish position of the British fleet, forced far from its base of operations, in its attempt to blockade the German coast. "We shall await them," he cried, "close to our own shores, in a situation most favourable to ourseJv.es. Our torpedo boats and submarines, for a long period trained for night attacks, cannot fail to work enormous, destruction to the British fleet, which must repair to its base for stores and -munitions of war, while we shall have ours at hand. So at length will come a time when a certain number of our enemy's vessels being destroyed and others widely scattered for the purpose of defending commercial interests, the fleets will be practically equal. Then, I can safely assert, the tide will flow m our direction. Our vessels have six torpedo tubes against four_ of the English vessels. Our guns are in perfect condition after 200 shots,' his lose accuracy of fire after 60. Besides, as the rival navies are opposed, tho fleet which is most capable of long range attack will have the advantage. Now, our gunners, continually trained, secure wonderful results at 10,000 metres. We shall cause the enemy's vessels enormous damage, while they are preparing for a fight at close range the only kind for which they are trained. After the battle again the advantage will be on our side, thanks to the proximity of our arsenals and workshops, and to the number and efficiency of our workmen, we shall be able more quickly to repair and reconstruct." The Admiral then passed to the political aspect. He imagined a general outbreak of war, and his dream vision as it passed over this universal field o^ battle discovered at each moment encouraging omens for Germany. According io him, two nations are to play an unexpected part ir the conflict, and these two nations are Japan and Italy. Italy's task will be twofold— her fleet will lieutrahse the power of the French fleet. For this purpose it is of ample strength, even without the help of Austria As to her army, from Tripoli it will march on Egypt. Along the coast are magnificent paved roads, constructed by the Romans. Italy will despatch 120.000 men, who will find no difficulty in wiping out the lo,OOC English quartered in Egyjn- The desert, the climate, the Arabs, the British fleet, were as nothing in the eyes of the warlike Admiral. As to Japan, _ he revealed to his audience that, in spite of her seeming alliance with Britain, she was strongly averse to British policy. "There is no doubt that nt case of war the Japanese fleet would bear an expeditionary force into tlra South Pacific to take possession of Australia and New Zealand. "Will Germany's aims be confined to a merely successful war? No," continued Admiral Brewsing. "The 80 - 000,000 souls we shall shortly number need colonies— a vast colonial empire. We shall not repeat the scandalous j Agadir fiasco, that shameful business wherein wo had to renounce our designs on Morocco before a,n English threat. We must increase, nay double, our navy, in order to conquer and de- I fend the oversea possessions of which we havp need. We should consider no sacrifice too heavy for that. "On for God and our country!' as old Blucher said one hundred years ago." Such were the words I heard at Basle, a peaceful town in a neutral country. An excited audience greeted them with applause, all the more enthusiastic as that very evening the papers had devoted columns to the reception of the British King and Queen at Paris.