THE GERMAN NAVY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLV, Issue XLVIII, 16 December 1914, Page 5

THE GERMAN NAVY.

\\ v riy ii' MAs no 'I FotJCriil DEFENCES OF C6'ASstdiS&

Why does not the German Fleet come out? ' Tho answer given, by the naval correspondent of the London "Times" is : ''Because of the protection it gives to the northern coast of Germany. Although the fleet may be at anchor behind lie?inland. it, can, nevertheless, be quickly transferred to the Baltic by means of tiie Kaiser "Wilhelni Canal. What pre--fcfchts tiussi;*, frairt launching across the Baltic stieh ;in expedition a» Britain put. into France' .ortly u'pt/il W far larger scale? j Orily the Germairt' Fle'e4. "if the .Raiser sent his' s^n&drons out to give ari'd, they were destroyed, nothing els'e stand's b'ctweeir a ; Russian advance across tho' s6as oil' tire way to Berlin. There are ccfusfiiji' fortified places, no doubt. One could ciin merate them. But fortified places may be reduced. There are, however, stretches of coastline unprotected in this way. The defensive measures on land are another matter, but the German Fleet intact may be worth a good many soldiers to the Kaiser just now. THE "FLEET IS BEING. iJ

"It has always heetl hh'derstoo'd that | the Gerindn Empero'r was ti rfilicfe'nfc stu- | dent of naval history. The theory of i "tlie Fleet, in Being," which Torringtoii propounded, must lie well known to him. He cannot hiive to realise that it may mean much to the his plans at this time if his fleet is Kept unbroken or undefeated. While it f?''mains an effective weapon only can it continue to exert an influence. So long as it is fit to come out and fight a battle, either in the North Sea or the Baltic; noi military expedition of any large importance caii bti,sfifit across; the intervening waters without itilining a great hazard. For some w'efSKs .tfi'e transport of the Japanese troops to Manchuria was entirely stopped by a rumour that the Russian Fleet had left Port Arthur. Similar instances have occurred in other recent wars. "The fact that Britain has been able to pass her expeditionary force across the Channel while tho -German Fleet is still in being does not invalidate Torrington's theory. The geographical conditions made possible this achievement "as an exception to the rule. Moreover, ill this case, the troops were being sent to li friendly shore, distant a few miles only, and it is quite possible that so expeditiously and so soon after the declaration cf war was the operation carried out that the Germans had- scarcely time to realise what had happened before it was completed. Any attempt on tho part of the Russians to throw a force across the Baltic, even if their fleet in that sea was much stronger than it is, would be an entirely different proceeding. It would, however, become perfectly practicable once the German Fleijt had been rendered ineffective as a mobile weapon.

THE GERMAN SEABOARD. "The Kaiser Wilhelm Canal, now that it has been widened and deepened, affords a means of transit for the fleet from the Baltic to the North Sea ; it is also a connecting link between the two great dockyards and' arsenals at Kiel and Wilhelmshaven. Both these establishments are well supplied with all necessary plant of a modern character, and in addition, (.'lose at hand, there arc all tho means that- human ingenuity and experience could devise for the provision of naval equipment. Thus whether it is operating from Kiel or -from Wilhelmshaven the fleet has behind it everything that can be required; in the way of facilities for preparing for or refitting and preparing after a battle. "It is, however, with this end of the Kiel Canal that we ate mainly concerned at present. The whole* of 1&K coastline from the island of Sylt, ill "the North Frisian group, to Borkum, ono of the East Frisian islands in the south, a. distance as the crow flies of about 150 imiles, is one great wai- station, protected by fortified islands and, other defensive works. Almost in the -Centre of-' the semi-circle, which is usually described as the Heligoland Bight, is the'island which gives it "its name, and in tho waters behind it, secured by lines, of mines and flotillas of destroyers, the mam* fleet can lie at anchor, waiting the order to put to sea. I

HELIGOLAND BIGHT DEFENCES, "Enormous sums have been spent in making Heligoland impregnable, even to the- extent of providing it with an armoured belt, which may bo intended as much-to resist erosion by the sea- as the projectiles of the enemy. Here a war harbour has been equipped under 'formidable fortifications, an& its guns cover the mine-fields fating the approaches to the Elbe. There are stations for torpedo craft at Sylt, off the coast of Schleswig, at Cuxhaven, at Bremerhaven, and at Borkum. But. anywhere behind the islands these vessels can move for the purpose of Assembling for a raid. From Eiriden, at-tlie mouth, of the Ems, there is a connection with the Jade by a canal through, which destroyers can imss to Wilhelmshaven, the most important German naval station on the North Sea. "Further to the eastward is Brunsbiittel, the entrance to the Kaiser Wilhelni Canal, and on the Elbe, higher up which river stands Hamburg, where , many of the largest German men-of-war have beon built. ' At these places, and at many others which have not been mentioned, thero are extensive and powerful fortifications. "At Eir.den have been constructed the quays and wharves intended, it has been said, for the embarkation of the army destined for the invasion of .the British Isles. It is probably from Emden 'and ' behind Borkum that the destroyers in the southern area, of the North Sea have their principal base. As to the submarines, their headquarters were at Cuxhaven, which was also a base for the mine-laying flotilla and the aviation centre, but of course the war stations may have been differently arranged.''