The Washington herald., 1912-02-15

II Great Britain in reality is so worried
about a possible invasion" by Germany.
how is II that at present there are fewer
battle ships in commission in British
home waters than there were in 1901 or
1905? Besides, it is practically certain
that the German government-socialists
or no sociaIists-is determined 10 still
more increase the feet which guards the
German coast lines and is in commission
in European waters. l know from the
best authority that the high sea feet Is
to be augmented during the current rs
cal year by third squadron OF battle
ships and attendant vessels.
To-day the battle force OF the German
high sea feet comprises seventeen ships,
eight more attendant vessels for both
squadrons, and the flagship Of the COM
mander-in-crief. Admiral Won Hoitzen-
dorfT. The addition of a third squadron,
therefore, would mean that Germany
would have no fewer than twenty-five
battle ships in commissions in the waters
OF Northern Europe. The number Of
British battle ships placed similarly is
twenty-five, eight each in the first two
divisions Of the home fleet and six in the
Atlantic fleet.
The increase in Germany's commission
ed strength has been one of the most
striking features of her policy in recent
years, and is Of far greater significance
than the increase in her aggregate
strength. In 1904 there were only eight
battle ships kept in fuV commission. In
the year following the number was in
creased to twelve and in 1906, to six
teen, at which figure it remained until
last fall. when the flagship OF the COM
mander-in-chief for the first time was
placed outside both the squadrons as
a nucleus for an additional squadron,
Should this intended increase really be
carried out, the Instantly ready
strength Of the German batle-ship meet
will have been multiplied by three IN
eight years In the same period the
fully commissioned battle strength OF
Great Britain's home-water feet only has
Increased from sixteen TO twenty-five.
II will be impossible for the British
government to regard this augmentation
with indifference, but 1t viii be wise not
10 take an alarmist view of the situ-
alton, because the British admiralty
would md no difficulty in dealing With
such an enlarged naval strength for
the following reasons: In the first place
an increase from seventeen German battle
ships to twenty-five will not carry with
II anything like a proportionate addi-
tional serength. OF the seventeen In
service seven are of the Dreadnought
type, the remaining ten being vessels Of
mo more than 13.000 tons each. and arm
ed with four Il-inch and fourteen 6.7-inch
guns apiece. The point to be noted is
that behind these seventeen vessels Ger
worthy Of the name. The next most
powerful group are the hve ships OF the
Weitelsbach class, which were launched
| IN 1900 1901. diaplace 11.so0 tons and carry
only four 94-inch guns and eighteen So
inch guns.
Behind these again are the still smaller
ships OF the Kaiser class-five-launched
In lsss-lsOo. and dispiacing about 1850
tons. They originally had the same arma-
ment as the wittelsbachs. but In four
cases out Of FIVE the number OF 5s-inch
guns have been rduced to fourteen. II
| Is only BY courtesy that these ships are
called battle ships. The s.4-inch guns
which form their main armament pre-
eiudes them from taking any. chances OF
lengaging even old British battle ships
with any hope OF success. while there
are no less than nineteen arpored cruis-
ers equal or superior 10 them as Jf1ght-
| ing units These German ships more
properly should be classed as slow-ar-
mored cruisers. and. regarded In that
light, they assume far less formidable
| appearance, because Great Britain has in
| full commission IN home waters fourteen
j armored cruisers as compared with Ger
many's three.
Naturally. the planned third German
squadron will develop after once u Is
formed. but Il viii be at least three years
before Il can contain battle ship as