Nelson Evening Mail. TUESDAY, JULY 25, 1916. GERMANY AND THE SUBMARINE WAR.

Nelson Evening Mail, 25 July 1916, Page 4

Nelson Evening Mail. TUESDAY, JULY 25, 1916. GERMANY AND THE SUBMARINE WAR.

| .Steamers ar.iving at Copenhagen re- ! oently reported, it will be remembered, that numbers of German submarines are in the North Sea. These were stated to be of a larger and newer type. Now that submarine activity against merchant shipping has been renewed, it is interesting to recall suggested reasons for the suspension of this form of warfare a few months ago. It is not clear whether it was the damage inflicted by the British Navy or the diplomatic situation between Germany and the United States that caused Germany! to cease torpedoing merchant ships. One of yesterday's cables stated that it had been estimated that Germany has lost 150 submarines. Between United States and Germany the ' situation was briefly this : President Wilson's "last Note"

•warned Germany that only the cessation of submarine war would evade a breach between the two Powers. Germany was made to realize that, the United States was in earnest and accepted the position, but with a, reservation—she reserved the right to resume hersT.ibmar.ne operations unless the United States demanded that England should relinquish the Blockade, etc. President Wilson lias all along refused to recognise any relationship between the two questions, and has dealt with them separately. In connection -with the renewal of submarine activity the Pall -Mall 'Gazette has made the suggestion that Great Britain should let Germany clearly understand that she will have later on to make good all the losses inflicted on our mercantile marine an this unlawful manner. This paper lias also stated' that it is the deliberate policy of Germany to destroy as many British vessels as possible ■with the view

to challenging the maritime' supremacy when the war is over. At the same time Germany is reported (to he malcing large additions to her mercantile fleet during the course of the war for xise immediately it is over. A very, interesting statement has also >been made by Mr Edgar Crammond in the National Review. "With regard to 'Germany's policy of destruction of merchant shipping," Crammond writes, "I am not sure that the British people have yet fully realised what the 'German aims really are. Before the outbreak of war Germany' possessed five (million tons of merchant shipping, say 10 per cent, of the total shipping of the world. Tt is her deliberate aim to destroy as much as possible of the total merchant shipping of the -world, regardless of human life, so that when peace comes her proportion of the total when afloat may be much greater than it was before the war. The 'German (merchant fleet should be applied first in making good the losses which each maritime Power, belligerent or neutral, has suffered through Genrtfan submarines and mines."

may fairly be assumed that Russia is attacking, altogether, oti some 1500 miles of front.

The persistent attacks of the -Germans on Verdun may have been, delivered on military 'grounds only, such as for the purpose of opening the way to Paris by the destruction of the greatest fortress; or, in the hope that the attack on Verd'im would prevent the dreaded French attack on Mot?,. Again it may be tliat- these formidable .military operations may have been 'Undertaken mainly on economic grounds. The latter theory lias been lately advanced. Between Metz and Verdun is the immense min field of Briey, and though the richest part of the field is in France, yet- 'Germany draws something like 70 per cent, from the portion which lies in German territory. To lose her grip on. what she has already would cripple her iron industry ; on the other hand, if she could seize and hold Verdun, her iron resources would be in-creased 'by over 100 per cent., and it would be the French iron industry that would be ruined. The ore mined from the Briey field is a brown hematite, known as "minette." The phosphorus percentage is about 2 per cent., which :s very high, but with the introduction of the basic process of steel making-, the use of this class of ore has increased to a very large extent.

Discussing the subject "What is the Human Breaking-point?" Mr John Bu-c'han says: "Human nature becomes case-hardened under the sternest trials. If troops are 'entered' skilfully to the terrors oE war, it- is amazing what a protective sheath forms over the soldier's nerves. A new .battalion during its first day ,in the trenches may be restless and 'jumpy,' in a week it is at- ease, and .most probably too callous to the risk of the .business. All men employed in dangerous trades—fishermen, sailors, miners, railwayman—'have tlrs happy faculty. It is a Western form of kismet, a belief that till their hour comes they are safe. If death at any moment may appear out of the void it is useless to fuss about it, for nothing they can do can prevent it. Once this stoicism is attained the men are .seasoned. War, instead of being a series of horrid tremors, becomes a routine. It seems strange to use the word 'dull' iiii connection' with so hazardous a .game,, but such is the base. /Seasoned troops (adjust themselves to their novel environment, and for one who finds it too nerve racking ten will find it monotonous. With, due preparation and careful treatment, it seems certain that even in .modern war we can postpone the breaking ipoint very far."

Judging from extracts from' letters from, German soldiers who have fallen into the hands of the French there is a distinct feeling of hopelessness among the troops. From the letter of a. private soldier fighting in the Verdun region, Mr H. Warner Allen, special representative of the British Press with the French armies, takes the following extract :

We are absolutely in a hell-hole here. The artillery fires night and day. I never imagined it would be like this. ... If only this wretched war would come to a.n end. No reasonable man can justify such butchery of men. We are at present to the north-east of Verdun in a position. 'Jiat is distinctly critical. This morning

they have been smoking tis out with asphyxiating shell and other diabolical inventions. Though we have not ■been long in the firing line we have all had enough: of it, and are looking

for peace. We should like to send to the front all those gentlemen who

caused the war and w'ho profit firomi it.

If the Allied offensive can produce such a spirit of mere bitter endurance among the German troops generally their morale most suffer considerably.