VON TIRPITZ TALKS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXII, Issue 2515, 17 December 1927, Page 5

VON TIRPITZ TALKS.

VIEWS ON BRITISH ADMIRALTY TACTICS. “BEST KEPT A SECRET.” (Press Association. —Copyright.) (Received 8.55 a.m.) Beilin, December 16. “Sir Alfred Ewing 'says Room 40 in the Admiralty Building, Whitehall, was devoted by the Admiralty in wartime to intercepting and decoding enemy wireless messages. It was so called to prevent people inquiring its activities. Very few officials or officers of the Fleet were aware of its existence. This was best kept a war secret,” said von Tirpitz, when interviewed. A NETWORK OF SPIES. “Here’s another. I am not in the least surprised that Germany is not surprised that Britain had systematically prepared for war against Germany. For years even before the war she had covered Germany with a. network of spies. We were so naive that we allowed captured British ships to go scot free. “Despite the decoding of messages from the German Admiralty, the British fared none too well at Jutland where. their losses were thrice ours, though their strength was double. Even the British Admiral admitted that the German Navy, ship for ship and gun for gun, was immeasurably superior.” ANGLO-AMERICAN NAVAL RIVALRY. “ Von Tirpitz allowed himself to be drawn into an expression of opinion on the so-called Anglo-American naval rivalry. “If I were an American,” he said, “I would whole-heartedly favour the United States’ programme. Germany was not engaged in naval rivalry against England before tli9 ■war, but Britain spent thrice our sum. From this fact one draws one’s own conclusions' on 'the possible AngloAmerican race. “Who can tell what half a century will bring forth?” he concluded.