Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-29
GERMAN FLEET CAN
BE CRUSHED FROM
LAND, EXPERT SAYS
Japanese Tactics at Port Al.
thur Would Destroy, or
Drive to Sea, All kaiser's .
Ships.
LONDON so,t an

1he ONerWhelminB strength of the Brit
ish navy is sufficient reason why that n,
Germany should seek refuge in harbor,
and within the 1tiel Canal. In these cir.
cumstances "a great sea conflict betweo,
the two is most unlikely; but If the views
Of Lieutenant Colonel Roustam Bek a
prominent Russian officer, he corroo,
there is a possibility of the Kaiser's foo,
being destroyed by bombardment from
the shore.
Writing in the Daily Express. the Rus.
sian officer presents an aspect of the sit.
uation which Is decidedly new and as de-
cidedly interesting. During the Russo.
Japanese war there was given, he saws
an example which 1t were we'll to heor
in mind now. That was that the Rms
sian fleet In the bay of Port Arthur was
completely destroyed. not by the enemv's
hattleships or by torpedo boats, but sim.
ply by the fire of l1-inch mortars from
the shore. 1t was not cowardce that
Kept the Russian fleet in the harbor, but
the certain belief that the Japanese could
not destroy it and that it would remain
intact until rcinforcements arrived from
Europe. But, Colonel Bek points ou,
the Japanese showed that this supposi-
ton, based on old doctrines of stratsyv
was false one. After the capture in
November of 203 Metre Hill, the Japanese
lscd the hill as fire control station for
Ihe mortars placed some distance fur
her away from the harbor and abso.
utely destroyed all the Russian battIa.
ships in the bay.
NIGHTMARE FOR THE KAISER
According to Colonel Bek, this histotIca,
example has become nightmare for
the Kaiser within the last few weeks,
and he fears for his fleet fate similar
20 that which obiterated the Russian AT
Fort Arthur. He never supposed that
the Russians would change their con.
serVative strateSical methods and take
the offensive. Since the army of Gem
eral Rennenkampf invaded the provinces
OF East Prussia with great success and
enormous speed the fear of n rcDetition
OF tho 2go Metre Hill process has been
continually with the Kaiser lie real
lied what great danger could arise
from such an advance by the Russians 1
VINO beinS masters Of Mcmel, Koenigs-
prrE ana DanZt5 could without much ,
difficulty continue thci. n,orrh ,in,,, tT" ,Ta
shul" westward, bes.eging the most i'm ,
portant ports of Germany and cutting
on the German navy alike from its Bal Z
TIC bases and from the army
SuppuS'nG, continues Colonel Bcl (.
that the Russian north army sbnnIi
succeed IN accomplishing this tasl, what
would happen then" Graot SIT, MOI.
tars OF large calibrc co-operating With
aeroplaucs. which are numerous in thc
Russian army. would force the German
ana p. ','' w. ~ '''. I"'nois 20 leave them
prctcd hy the brilliant Eritiii, G,'t .,nI
undoubtedly an engagement with all it's
u, u,n.D'"nlt con3eHurnc"s foE the Ger-
'"rbot pa,t of thn p''s' Inr,,,.,, ,,.,,,.,
as in the Baltic Sea would be cut of
a,oi" td we Norm sea bi the British fleet
inr statior. 'a,,II WIFE rs pn",T 'n" coal
challenge the Russian fleet or TO reach
me neutral ports Of Sweden and Dem
imtrin,,o n"[ ',tCI ,ll'nN Ihe commercial
with Turkcy Would NOT he co S oasv aev'tous 20 sr
up"
The Russian writer is candid enough
to admit that these are only suppostions
which can be raised for discussion. but
thr energetic measures which the Kaiser q
Is taking to clear East Prussia of the
ltus"ans show that the War Lord
place" high value upon the coasts OF
inc haltic Sea.
Silcsia has been gradually invaded by
the Russians, and soon the invaders will
De IN possession Of the richest coal mines
oi Germany, Austria's Galician oil
pIalnS ar" already Russian property. and
lh'S" laclS must produce some effect on
thr supply of the German navy with oil
ana coal. In any case, the situation is
''NN IA" nc ilC luhE'
!" 'hiS article colonel Bek con-
"'''S' 90 not Try TO indicate the
'"'"ie operations ol the German navy
"l inc measures which the British and
i'uSSIon heets viii take against the
enemy, simply draw picture of
possibility of military co-operation which
: snouId tbipl, t no. s,,,.,,,i, c,a
-, 0 A'''''' '
h's'"tS mat feFmany must not forget
that in the Baltic there is quite a new
pussiap sr,,odron ,ri+t ,,r.,., 90 cub
"''' '"''''''' Va ~"
H''IIHls ana tofpeao poats all under the
toliihhud OF experienced officers Whe
WIN uSlr own blood ana the lives OF
thousands OF their comrades have puT-
how ", much, m morally, the yopng Russian