Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-29
NEW WARSHIPS WILL
FILL GAPS IN FORCES
OF KAISER ON SEAS
German Admiralty Has
Vessels of Latest Design
Nearing Completion-Ar-
mament Supply Is Weak
Point.
toNpoN. Sept. g.


The measures which II has been re-
ported the German Admiralty is taking
TO replace ships already lost in the war
directs attention to their building pro-
gram Indeed, among the reasons put
forward to explain why the High Sea
Fleet has not yet come from behind the
shelter of its fortified bases Is that 1t
may be waiting to receive reinforcements
from the vessels now In an advanced
stage of construction. Not only are
these ships of all classes, and by no
means few in number. but they are nat
urally of newer and more efficient types,
more powerful. better protected, or
faster, than the last ships passed into
commission. 1t may be pointed out, how
ever that our own authorities have moth
ing to lose from a material standpoint,
by such period of waiting Whatever
may be the number Of vessels turned out
b. the German shpyards within the next
few months. we have the assurance OF
MIR. Churchill, in his speech at the
London Opera House on September IL,
that English establishments will turn out
moro than double the number.
In regard to battleshpS, the next ves-
sells to be added to the German Navy
are the three of the 1911 programe, the
Koenig, Markgraf, and Groser kurfuerst.
They are understood to be fitting out at
Wilhelmshaven dockyard the Weser
yard. Bremen. and the Vulcan yard,
Hamburg, respectively. They were all
launched during 1913, the Koenig on
March /, the Markgraf ON June 4, and
the Grosser Kurfuerst on May .. At the
launch of the last-named vessel, the
baptismal Grafton, which is a prominent
feature of such functions in Germany,
was delivered by Prince Oscar of Prus-
sia, the Kaser's fifth son. who made
reference to- the inheritance which the
Great Eector, after whom the ship had
been named. had left to the Fatherland.
The Prince continued:
The new German Empire has assumed
this Inheritance of the Great Elector
with understanding. and has cherished
It faithfully. Through the initiative of
our imperial master, supported by the ap-
preciativc, patriotic. and self-sacrifcing
attitude of the German people, its
princes and representatives, the war flag
has followed trade on its peaceful ways.
and the German eagle now spreads it's
protecting pinions over the children of
German lands on far seas and foreign
shores"
This has a curious ring at the present
time, when, owing to the rapacity of the
German eagle, nearly all the ships which
formerly carried children of German
lands on far seas have been either cap
tured or driven into neutral ports AS
tC the German possessions on foreign
shores. Togoland, Samoa and New Pom
mern have already been removed from
the protecting pinions of the same eagle,
and it can only be a matter of time be-
fore the rest will follow suit
THE NEW ARMORED SHIPS,
The three battleships referred to are
now due for commissioning. and may be
already under the pennant. The next
70 follow them will be the Kronprinz.
the only battleship of the 1912 program,
which was launched on February q last,
and was due to join the fleet next sum-
mer. With a little speeding up. how
ever. it might be possible to take three
or four months off her building period,
in which case Germany could add by
next spring four new dreadnouSht bat
leships to the 13 she had in commission
before the war broke out
In the same annual programs as tho
our batteships mentioned are the two
Jattle cruisers Derfflinger Q9lD and
Luet2ow Cl9l2). The former was launched
IN July l, 1918 at the B!ohm and Eoss
ard, Hamburg and is now probably in
eTvice. The latter was launched on
november % last at the Schichau yard,
Danzig, and II seems likely that efforts
will be made 10 get her completed be-
ore the end Of the present year. There
Is a chance, of course, that the Russians
may interfere with shipbuilding at Dan
and Elbing in pushing their armies
lto East Prussia Ano her battle
uiser is the Sa.amis, which was laid
own by the Vulcan Company in jan
unry. 1918 for the Greek navy This
, essel had not been launched at the end
OF July. She was to have received an
American armament OF eight H-inch
runs, manufactured by the Bethlehem
steel Company, of Pennsylvania, but it
is doubtful! ii they have been delivered.
CRUISERS AND TORPEDO CRAFT,
Turning to light cruisers, It is this
lass which has been most affected by
such operations of the war as have yet
,aken place. The Magdeburg, Matnz,
Koeln and AraIdne have been destroyed
in addition to which nine others are
being hunted down outside European |
waters and are consequently not avail |
able for service in the North Sea. OF |
the six in hand the Graudenz and Re-
belonging TO the lSl2 program |
we're launched in October and April last |
and should be in commits |
sion nv the end of the year, but the |
other four cannot be delivered until the |
end of 1915.
II is in regard TO torpedo craft, both |
Iestroyers and submarines. that Ger |
many will probably be able TO strengthen |
ler feet materially and rapidly. There |
were i'm hand al least score OF de- |
;trovers and the same number Of sub
marines when war broke out, large |
number of which may have since been |
II il has been determined to |
Concentrate the energies OF the German |
ards upon torpedo craft construction, as
nay we'll be the case, the output monthly |
nav be considerable There are four
ards i'm Germany which have been prac-
iced in the building of torpedo vessels
.nd before the war the period OF con-
tructtun al these yards was on an aver
.ge from 10 10 IS months. As they built |
or foreign Governments as we'll, their
uu capacity Is probably three or four
ines the II destgoyers and six subma-
ines provided for annually under the
icrman navy law. As we know from
,ur own experience, yards which have
Iot been mainly employed IN torpedo craft
obstruction can in AN emergency under
ak- such work, and no doubt II il Is
ous derci desirable at least - yards I'm |
iermaUy may al the present time be
ugaged iu this branch OF naval construc-
ion.
THE ARMAMENT SUPPLY.
The weak spot i'm Germany's arrange
leuts for warship construction is indis-
utabIy the KIupp monopoly. When
ONE years ago Count Won Reyentlow
made inquiry into the resources OF the
omtry for rapid construction several Of
he Yards made their estimates oT o,,t l