The North Otago Times. SATURDAY, JANUARY 30, 1915. GUNS, GUNS, GUNS.

North Otago Times, Volume C, Issue 13206, 30 January 1915, Page 4

The North Otago Times. SATURDAY, JANUARY 30, 1915. GUNS, GUNS, GUNS.

rlrthci detail;; of the first hunt between vessel'- of the Dreadnought class demonstrate beyond all question the insuperiority uf our naval guns. In the hope of scoring a victory wjikh would fittingly celebrate the Kaiser's birthday, the German Admiralty employed a number of the best and most powerful ships on a raid organised with much care and attention as to lighting efficiency. These mighty ships of war were dashing towards the coast of old Albion; ships armed with great guus and equipped with most powerful engines. For what purpose! Shame on the Germans that Ihe accusing' lingers of the slaughtered babies of West Hartlepool which point accusingly at them, should not have deterred llicm. This powerful squadron was bent on doing a dastardly work which is worse than (Useless. The stake was small but Hie .risk was great. Such ships.as the Dcrfflinger, Seydlilz, Mollkc, ami llluclior are risked on .11 wild adventure which, even if it be carried out in its entirety, is devoid of military significance aud.docs not pay the fuel bill, let alone compensate for the risk involved. The is revealed by the fact that these powerful raiding squadrons have made no effort to contest the right of way on the sea, but have.lied as soon as they are sighted by 'British patrol ships. Briefly the cable messages described the terrific engagement. Falling astern of her speedy and more' heavily armed sister-ships, the Blucher was battered by the mighty guus of the British ships, iiilo a shapeless mass of spins and fragments. When the crippled ship sank beneath the waves, she carried with her a crew of baby-killers which ■had won but one distinction: that of adding additional dishonour .to thci besmirched escutcheon of the German nation. Sonic,idea of the iiwfulncss of the struggle 'was conveyed in n few sentences, of the • cabled description; The "message-informed lis that the;third

\. j vessel, j[ c'ijthcr. ; tlie Soyiljiji;:!or /You jf Moltk'o suffered more-owiiig to one of J- nor ;gunV being smnshediv There mvus r great* execution among her crc\y. She [ was a silent ship steaming desperately j for shelter. Her whole after deck was l raljliizcas she entered''the-'mined area. }. The water was strewn,w'ith bodies and. I 'lipats, ami it was a ghastly; sight and i 1 mauy bodies were.jiiufiluted .boyoud rej i,'(cognition.' A ghastly,spectacle!, But i l . ncccssufy.'lhat the cause'-of justice unit Ji liberty may live. Wo ilo-not rejoice. II The destruction is looHcrciblo..'. With: i[ caltiuresolution wo receive the news of11 Victory and defeat; I, strengthened by the implicit confidence ij- that though' • the rcliuijig-iircß may ] i surge- upo'tii us. with' 1 terrible•,effect,' we l| fihajl.conquer..in the end;.chastened/ no i[ ,<l6ubt, but purillcd. Wo-:calI up the |l martyrs aiid'Klicinis; we !| Jicar'tlitf'te'cho of the; cries, of anguish 11 and remote of slaughtered,, .children [' and outraged women; we lend an ear to i[ the; terrible lmlictmont I 'hurled ; at the i[ German tyrant's by the deathless army [l of '.wHucased from.despoiled B,clgium. ijj .We. hear their irrefragable-'' tcslimc-ny j* ami WO: cxpcricuco a sonso of gralilica-

Hon; that British guns pd'British gum jiciij frltit'iipiicd" iu the 4 lirst great lest, llig'guus arc our safest scheme of nat

(loii'ai immrauce. Sunday's historic Jigh), proved that,.ami every British man ami. woiiiau ami ,every, 'British boy |and girl should breathe a prayer of

•thankfulness to nml appreciation of the picn. who with tireless' persistency insisted that' Britain'Vvery cxistcucc depended ujlou the overwhelming superiority of her naval guns, cooperating with the pluck, endurance, loyalty and al>ijity'of'those unnamed heroes who carry out their allotted tasks cither by working the great guns or stoking tho immense furnaces, without which our .fleets of mighty . lighting machines would be utterly useless. •