The Cairo bulletin., 1909-10-04
BETWEEN GREAT BRITAIN AND
GERMANY-FEIERISH AC-
TlVlTY SHOWN.
IN DOCK YARDS WORK
At WiIheImshaven and Other Nava
Bases-kaiser's Entire Fleet to
Be Transferred to North
Sea Next Year.

NlIHeli1SHdNtl, OCl. o.---W utH tue
Igreat extension of the dockyard at
Wilhelmshaven was taken in hand in
1900 the proposed date of completion
was 1916. Since then the scope of
the new works has been greatly in
Icreased. New docks have been added,
new basins, workshops and defenses;
but the whole scheme will be com
pleted by the spring of 1911.
| Wilhemshaven is about as unim-
lposing a place as can well be ima5'
ined. From the seaward it is almost
concealed behind great rolling sand
dunes; but dotted among those dunes
are great steel armored turrets with
Itwelveinch guns, and behind them is
la dockyard better equipped for tie
needs of modern navy than any,
thing even Great Britain can show.
On the whole of the British coast
from Scotland around to Portsmouth
there Is one government dock that
can take dreadnought. At Wilhelm
shayen there are two already com
Ipleted. and a .apabe of taking
a ship OF $4,000 tons-that will be
lready by autumn of next year. The
British government is building one
Dreadnorght dock &: Rosyth which
lis dne for completion in 1916.
The future of WiHelmshaven is as
lsured by Germany's peculiar geo
lgraphieal position. The increase In
the dimensions Of warships in recent
lyears has msde . back number of
IKiel, for It is impossible for modern
lbatteships to pass through the Kai-
Iser Wilhelm Canal.
Therefore the North Sea port is to
Ihaye such an equipment as will en-
liable it to serve IS the base for the
whole of the High Sea fleet, while
lat the same time the canal Is to lie
enarged so that Kiel may still be
used as q haze for construction and
repair and. If needs be. as strategic
base for feet operations
1 The German naval authorities have
mot lost sight of tle fact that the
Russian navy though crippled in the
lwar with Japan. is still formidable
lforce, and is to be increased by four
twelve inch Dreadnoughts in three
Iyears' time
Wilhelmshaven is Deing well pre-
Ipared The port lies at the head OF
a cul de sac, whose bottle-neck en-
trance has continually to be dredged
because of the constant silt of the
|sand 1t was Bismark's ideal to con
meet the dockyard itself with Emden
lon one side and Hamburg on the
other by means of great canals, so
THAT German feet could move along
the whole North Sea coast without
touching the onen sea at all.
in one direction Eismark's plan is
being carried out Work on the en-.
Ilargement of the Ems-Jahde canal is
well under way and by the summer
Iof next year the largest torpedo craft
Twill be able to traverse it with ease.
At the same time, a special line of
railway is being laid between the
1.-TWO ports. so that torpedo fotila
lat Emden will be able to be supplied
with all its store froai Wilhelmshaven
in the shortest possible time.
Plans have been prepared for the
further enlargement of this canal IN
It'll ultimately it will be capable of
navigation by the largest warships.
1.-THE cost Of such work will be
enormous and it would take many
lyears to complete, but there is little
doubt in the minds of people at Will
lhelmshaven that it will be doD. soon.
er or later.
The defenses and garrisons of vii.
Ihelmshaven and Emden are being
Enormously increased. Between now
! and the spring of next year the en-
tire high sea feet is to be transferred
to the North Sea, although as already
, ,Iexplained Kiel will continue for some
: thine to be much in demand rs war
, Iport. The widening OF the canal is
Ito be expedited. so that while 1914
, was the date first mentioned, the sum.
liner of 1912 is now regarded as likely
Ito see the completion of the work.
The active fleet itself will soon be-
lgin to undergo its transformation
consequent on the completion OF the
lDreadnoughts. The Nessau and West.
fallen will both take their places in
it before the end of the year, re-
lplacing two vessels OF the Kaiser
class. and adding enormously to the
, lighting capacity of the fleet
Next spring will see the completion
of the Rheinland and Posen, and OF
, the armored cruisers Won der Tam
and Blucher In the same period
there will be added to the British
feet the three battleships ST. Win.
leent, Collingwood and Vanguard. Ger
, lmany adds six armored ships to her