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Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 197, 24 September 1914, Page 6

i Timid people should hesitate before rushing into sackcloth because some enterprising German submarines bagged | three British armoured cruisers in one swoop. It does not conduce to cheerfulI ness that close on £2,000,000 worth of British arjnament, with manj r brave men, has been sent to the bottom, but it eases the little sting to kuow that the lost gunboats were some: of the least effective in the North Sea Fleet, having been built some ten years ago. Since then the science of naval armaments has progressed >-' at a breakneck speed, with the result that cruisers of- the G'ressy class are nowadays considered out of date. Notwith l standihg this fact, the episode counts to the German fleet, which, in confining its offensive to distributing mines and making sudden submarine dashes, is only adhering to its preconceived plan of attack against ah opponent whose superiority in fighting force is as yet too marked to justify the German Dreadnoughts. risking a set ..engagement in the open. From the very nature of the blockade of von Tirpitz's fleet, it is inevitable that -the British squadron must be prepared to meet with such shocks as the one just inflicted. Their operations cover such a wide expanse that it would be strange if at one time or other they did hot leave some ships open to attack. Despite this latest loss, the British Fleet has done an invaluable work —work which is equivalent to a far greater success than has yet attended the enemy's arms. Later reports of the sinking of the: three cruisers make it clear that the loss of, life was very considerable. The attack was developed in the evening, and oil one boat being torpedoed, the doming to her assistance, suffered- a like fate. The deadly accuracy of the attack is indicated by the fact that one of the stricken ships sank "five', jn.iuut.es after being hit. This success, following on, that of the Konigsberg in East Africa and the Emden in the Bay of Bengal, will do something towards salving the wound to German pride caused by the reverses to the Kaiser on land. The grim work of the German submarines will be accepted by many as a demonstration of the superiority of,-.this arm over the capital ships. Undoubtedly the submarine has proved very effective thus far, but its achievements to date are merely in the nature of isolated successes, which can have little or ho bearing on the ultimate issue. " | """'";'