GERMANY'S LOST FLEET.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 6688, 13 August 1919, Page 1

GERMANY'S LOST FLEET.

SCAPA FLOW SINKING. PKOWIETIC WARNING. The German lleet at Scapa Flow was scuttled on June i\ last. On May 17 an article by Mr .11. (J. I'erraby, appearing in Country Life, contained the following prophetic, passages:— One thing that has to ,be guarded against, and it is a possibility that grows more insistent as the time for a decision about the fate of the ships comes nearer, is that of an attempt on tho part of the care and maintenance parties to scuttle the ships. It is obvious from the tout' of the German papers that even iiuw the German naval men expect that their ships will be returned to them when peace has been signed'. It was only the other day that one paper devoted attention to the problem of changing the- names of the ships now interned at Scapa "when they ar: returned to us." There will lie, a rude awakening from that dream one day soon, and) on that day the task of the guardians of the imprisoned fleet will be a trying one. It is not difficult to arrange for the Hooding of a man-of-war, and (lie small German crews kept on board, each a Scapa prisoner, en a easily escape in their own -boats before the vessel settles down.

This matter lias not escaped the attention of our responsible authorities, but there is no sense in burking the fact that the position is one that will be extremely difficult to handle if the need arises, and those who want the German warships for their own ileets will do well to bear that fact in mind.