Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-05-30
EVER READY FOR WAR
Germany's Preparations Are
on a Lavish Scale.
HER ARMY AND NAVY
ANXIOUS TO SECURE FIRST PLACE
ON THE SEA.
Magnificent New Battle Ships Building
"A Military Aristoc-
racy.
Copyright. 1903, by Frank C. Carpenter)

copyright lOu0, Dy EThhh VI S"A RN"''''
special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.
KEEL.
Are the Germans preparing for war with
the United States?
think not. They are jealous of our COM
nercial supremacy and in response TO the
eerarians have enacted a tariff which may
affect our trade. They would like to over
throw the Monroe doctrine and have a
chance to colonize AMI develop South
America but they have no idea of attempt
ing ANYTHING that might bring on an
American war Indeed, they realize, lot
the first time something of our resources
and mower They know they are depend
ent upon US for food; they know also that
We are among their best customers ana
they claim to be the friendlest Oh our
friends on the European continent
AS for war preparations, however, they
re always going on in the German empire
The kaiser is surrounded by nations WHO
would fight him at any time II they thoush'
they could win. and he believes that the
hest way to prevent war Is to De Always
ready for 1t. Today the army ana navy
are trained as though war might De de-
clared tomorrow and all SORTS OF oelehse'
are steadily improved.
On gets a good idea of what Is nelng zone
by a look at the naval establishments al
KEEL The Krupps have big sh1ppuiiuins
ward here which works almost night anu
a., on tho new ellnboats the reichstag mas
ordered Other naval vessels are peihs , nuIil
et Stettin and Danzig. and tens OF millions
OF dollars are being thus spent every year
The Kaiser's Enormous Navy.
Indeed the Germans are planning 10 oo-
tain the greatest navy of the world Ihey
want England's place upon the ocean, ana
PIE willing to spend money for many years
10 gain it. About five years ago the govern
roant decided to build three battle ships
year for fourteen years, and in ADDITION
large number of cruisers, torpedo poats anu
minor vessels. This scheme is being car
ried out, and at the same time the merchant
marine Is being increased at dynamic
rate Other acts have since been passed.
and in 1900 a scheme was undertaken which
will give Germany within thirteen years
thirty-four new battle ships, eleven large
and thirty-four small cruisers. with many
torpedo boats and special service vessels.
The vessels now in use are among the
hest afioat. A number of them range In
size from ten to fifteen thousand tons.
They are protected by the finest mod
ern armor plate and equipped with ar
mor-pierCing guns of large caliber ana an
enormous number of quick firing guns.
The Kaiser Friedrich III, which 1 have
seen in the harbor here at KEEL has forty
nine four-inch guns, eighteen six-inch
quick-fring guns and thirty-two smaller
ouick-fring guns. 1t is a magnificent yes
sci of over 1900 tons displacement and
1900 horse power 1t can make eighteen
knots an hour and is one of the most heav-
fly armed ships ahoat. The Victoria Louise,
which is also here. is much smaller, but
she is a beauty, as are nearly all the YES
sells of the navy.
The navy Is now increasing at the rate or
nine or ten vessels yearly. with an increas-
ed tonnage of about 10000 year. We have
at present more vessels than Germany. but
nearly all of the German ships are of the
most modern hllild while of ours
slow and out of date.
German Seamen and Naval Schools.
I find the Germans much interested in the
navy. The people think their sailors su
perior to any others, and they have organ
ICED naval society, with a membership of
more than 500. 600, devoted to stirring up
sentiment In favor of naval improvements.
The personnel of the navy improves every
year. 1t is increasing In numbers, and 1t
now includes something like 10000 men and
boys. There are altogether about 1,500 OFF,
GERS l, 300 boys, and more than TOO petty
officers and seamen. In other words the
Germans have on their war vessels more
men than we had in our army prior to the
SpaniSh-American war.
The Germans have good naval schools.
There is one here at Kiel with several hun
dred students. The boys are kept but q
short time on shore, and then put on train
ing ships. There a number of these
ships, some here and some on other seas.
A common way is to have the summers
spent in the Baltic and the winters in the
Mediterranean or the West Indies
On these training vessels the boys are
taught practical seamanshp. They learn
all about navigation, gunnery and naval
warfare
They manage the vessels themselves
under the eyes of their superiors, and carry
on their studies on board. They are taught
naval engineering, torpedo science. naval
construction, mechanics, Notifications. tao
tics, well the modern branches. They
are put through good course of gymnas-
tues. and learn how to fence. ride and swim.
After a time they are taken on the vessels