The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-08-04
SAYS ENGLAND CAN AID FRANCE MOST
BY BREAKING UP GERN1ANY'S COMMERCE
Asserts Great Britain Should
Declare War assDuty to
Her Allies.

keep her navy ready and virtually cleared
for action, and we may expect any min
ute apparently to get word of a great
engagement. and should expect the Brit
ish fleet to win. ~
THE Kiel Canal will undoubtedly be
used In Germany's naval strategy as az
fording access to the North and the Bal
tic seas, but not as the 2deciding move
ment. England cannot, as l have said
throw a preponderating 3neet into both
seas. and Germanys hope Ia to strike
Immediately. II Is n question OF existence
for her. The stasnation of her carrying
trade on the seas must tbfeaten her very
life. and the neutral shipping, already
taxed to It's limits. cannot, bear the add
tional burdens OF supplying Germany
Could DO Little I'm Baltic.
1.-THE suggestion made .sthat Germany
might demonstrate with her feet In the
Baltic is not tenable. The Russian feet,
with only eight pre-dreadnoughts and no
dreadnoughts and battle cruisers--how-
ever much OF an absurdlty that type may
be-is negligible. Germany could achieve
nothing with her feet irtsthe Baltic. for
1t is a principle NJ warfare that under
modern conditions no nation can AFFORD
to waste its navy In operations against
Notifications"
Admiral Mahan says this greatest war
will determine the science Of naval opera
tons and will show whether or not the
battleship is doomed In favor OF the sub
marine, though he believes the latter can
not be effective In daylight against
modern guns
And believe me-" he said. the Eng
lish feet which sailed with sealed orders,
is at present in the North Sea. with the
purpose of being Just out OF the effective
Of submarines I do know.
definitely. what the effective cruising
range of such submersible craft Is, but
/ should estimate 1t to be 200 miles. To
accomplish that distance they must travel
for long way upon the surface, and so
he in sight OF the scouts which the British
fleet OF course has posted.
Submarine to he Tested.
This question OF the use OF the in
creased efficiency Of the submarine is as
suredly one OF the most important to be
tested in actual warfare. They had OF
course, no opportunity In the Russo-Jap-
anese war. but In the present confined
| theatre of operations should be seen at
their best, do not share Sir Percy
SCOTS views of the surprising power OF
the submarine to the complete effacement
OF the battleship.
THE torpedoes. as used In the Russo
| japanese War, were utilized chiefly to
put a finish to a ship almost slenced
already by gun fire. and for such pur-
| poses were effective. But torpedo boats
' are night craft. They cannot be effective
in daylight against modern guns. Ger
many. apparently. does not place much
faith in them.
but most OF these problems OF the
technical science Of warfare are too alb
struse for the general observer. They
are really even too technical for the ex-
perts TO agree on. As Gen Sherman said /:
one may demonstrate something In ma
npuvres. but you really need tho element
OF human fear 80 he conclusive
The mooted question OF the big guns
will also be tested. For my own part, l
have always believed that the volume OF
fire was the determining fact Tho num-
Der OF hits, and not single shots, is the
most Important elements, I believe. How
ever, all those things We shall soon know.
perhaps any minute