BATTLES AT SEA.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XLVII, Issue 13147, 10 May 1917, Page 2

BATTLES AT SEA.

GERMANY'S DESPERATE ENTERPRISES. When a flotilla of ten German destroyers stole out d.iiiiijf the gale last week and attacked our communications between Dover and Calais they not inly destroyed two small vessels of our fleet and an empty Channel transport, but also struck another blow at the old doctrine of England's inviolability from invasion, writes the "Sydney Sun's" London correspondent under date November 7. It was a dashing episode, and it gains its meed of appreciation from this nation, of seamen, as all Germany's true sea exploits in this war have. It synchronised with the announcement that Hindehburg. had taken control of the German navy, and emphasised again the old warrior's belief in the initiative. '

The Germans chose a night of black storm, and were upon our Channel patrols before warning had come. In the unequal fight one destroyer, the Flirt, went down under shellfire, and the enemy went on through the Straits of Dover before they encountered superor forces and fled homewards. It is believed that as they went two of their number encountered our mines and were sunk— a. story confirmed to some extent by a fugitive Belgian, who has told "The Times" correspondent in Amsterdam that German sailors at Zeebnigge are mourning comrades of two destroyers which went out recently in a flotilla and did not return. As the whole voyage was done in darkness, and the Germans were in far too great a hurry on the return journey to save their drowning men, the German Admiralty may have some justification for regarding these two ships as merely "missing"—a term meaning that the sea lords refrain from annuuncing their disappearance in the hope that they will yet turn up again. These Channel raids are expected by those who know how severe is the tax at present upon British patrol ships, and how essential it is that our great fighting fleet shall be concentrated in the north. But no incident in the war, except the death of Kitchener, has more affected the pride of the people of these islands, for one has to go back to the days of the Dutch wars to find enemy ships in the outer waters of the Thames.

The naval and military experts have throughout the war taken a much more serious view of the possibility of an invasion than the. view accepted in Australia. Kitchener believed that an attempt was probable, and it is likely that he would . have measured up Hindenburg as an opponent likely to try it. It is an open secret that large bodies of troops are kept in the country, and that railway building and trench construction on an extensive ' scale has been carried through, whilst official recognition has been given to the volunteers, who, throughout the country drill in their spare time, and camp during holidays at the seaside. The volunteers are old and unseasoned; they invariably remind one of good eating-houses as they march stoically through the parks'. For weight they would compare with any force that has ever carried arms. They admit bravely that they like their parades to be dismissed at points convenient for refreshments, and their periods of trench digging" is varied by times of rest on the sands of pleasant beaches. But they are in earnest. They are steadily improving as a fighting force, and the War Office savs it might still have use f»r them. ""Invasion," said. Lord French, in addressing them recently.'" is a distant possibility, but whenever we hear of naval engagements in the Channel, ■ large or smallj it is always possible that behind those, ships offtwar transports may be bringing troops to laud in this country at some unexpected point. The whole history of war teaches us that what happens is what we don't expect." So many dangers lurk lor an invading army that it may be claimed that Napoleon's saying still holds true: "I see a hundred * ways of getting an army into England, but not one of getting it out." Even in the unlikely "event oi the Grand Fleet being crippled, and Germany temporarily in command of the sea, the German line of communications would be harassed and disturbed, if not destroyed, by our submarine and destroyer flotillas. And if the Grand Fleet be still" paramount, we would soon concentrate such forces from France as would wipe out any army that could be landed here.

Some naval experts who have made, the possibility of an invasion the study of their lifetime are strongly of the opinion that the effort will some day be made, because of the immensity of the prize. Certainly a blow at London is the greatest temptation Hindenburg has to face. If the British Empire were eliminated from the war the Allies would collapse in a few months: and the only way of eliminating the Empire is to seize 1116% garrison of England, with its capital, and starve the. people. The essentials are the landing of a fully equipped army, and such dislocation of the communications between England and France as would prevent the arrival of strong reinforcements from General Haig's command. The disappearance of the Grand Fleet would not be necessary, for in the scattered sea fight ing that would be part of the general plan there would be swarms of submarines to prey upon transports. German attacks in France would endeavour to hold in the British lines all divisions there engaged. It is beyond doubt that Germany could land some troops on these shores. Her ( port of Antwerp, secluded, large, and well stocked with German merchantmen, is peculiarly fitted for a base. And so carefully do the Germans conceal what is happening there that we know nothing of the history of Antwerp during the last year. The Admiralty spy system is one of the wonders of the war, and Captain Hall, the cool and daring Chief of Intelligence, probably knows a great deal: but even he could not say that at no time was it possible for a fully ecruipped German expeditionary force to steal forth from the Scheldt, ignoring with Prussian abruptness the sovereignty of Holland, and dart in the darkness towards a British port. The Germans would have to be prepared to pay the price. Transports would be sunk with their men, warships would- be destroyed in plenty. But certainly some men could be landed in England.

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