New-York tribune., 1914-11-30
Germans Prepared for At
tack by Sea or by
Land.
MEN CHAFING TO
MEET BRITISH NAVY
Every Warship Ready for In.
stant Duty-More Subma-
rines Being Built.

| flneS lie alOngSlue tne uOcA NherS the
American sonderklasse yachts were
moored on their last visit 10 Kiel. The
warships anchored in the ford wear
war paint and have their torpedo nets
rigged. A Red Cross flag flies from the
/ Imperial Yacht Club.
The skylights in the shipyard build
/ ings have been blackened to prevent
lights from within being seen By hos
/ tile aviators, and for similar reason
placards in hotel rooms bear the re-
quest that the shutters to the windows
{ be closed before any light is displayed.
As a further precaution against attacks
by aircraft machine guns have been
posted in inconspicuoUs positions on
the roofs of the higher buildings, and
occasionally sentnels may be seen on
/ the tops of high structures. A broad
expanse Of Notifications and barbed
wire entanglements is trsversed here
and there when one is driving on the
outskirts.
These precautions have been taken
rainst any possible attack on the all
.3iportant Kiel Canal by air or by iand:
otherwise the Kiel of these days OF
warfare appears little different from
/ the Kiel of ordinary times. In the
harbor steamers and tugs, with long
/ tows. 20 about their customary WORK,
and in town, although there naturally
/ is more activity, the people seem TO De
pursuing their ordinary course OF ilfe'
Nothing Kept Secret.
The sailormen in this great naval
base did not maintain an attitude OF
undue secrecy or mystery toward the
/ correspondent. who was visiting Mel
/ for the first time since the outbreak
4 of the war. He was taken everywhere
/ cheerfully. He was shown through
every department OF the government
torpedo factory, into which in ordinary
times those not connected with tne
service are never allowed to enter; he
was taken into the newest submarine
aboard the biggest battleship TO watch
battle practice with heavy artillery
and torpedoes, and through the docks
where torpedo boats and submarines
are being refitted or are undergoing
their customary cleaning. All reason
[ able questions were answered readily.
The visit convinced the correspondent
OF the truth Of an earlier impression
that war for the German navy diners
from peace only in the existence OF an
actual instead Of a prospective enemy
. The navy's normal state OF prepared
ness was so high, for example, that
virtually nothing remained TO be done
TO the battleships and cruisers after
the outbreak OF war except to peel OF
the paint from the inner walls TO oovi-
ate the danger Of fire and apply "a
thinner coating to the outside for q
similar reason. The battle practice Is
carried out with little more snap ana
enthusiasm than in ordinary times.
Some of the officers and men saio
they had seen the tips OF Russian
masts. but they had seen nothing OF
war except the strenuous outpost pa,
rrol duty in the wintry Baltic and
North Sea waters. with ice covering the
bows and standing rigging OF theii
sbips. The occasional hailing OF @
passing freighter furnished the only
break in The monotony. But this work
/ also is part of the customary peace
routine OF the Germany navy.
Long to Meet British.
These men Enthusiastically are chafine
{ for a chance to meet the British navy
/ ard find il hard work TO remain pa
tient. but take into consideration the
strategic grounds which govern tho
policy of he German feet. They eX-
press little bitterness toward the Brit
ish. but rather desire to match
strength with a worthy opponent whom
thev alwavo have admired
A large number of submarines arc
approaching completion or are in ar
advanced stage of construction. Sew
eral have been put into commission
since the outbreak of the war. All OF
these are OF the largest seagoing type
The Germans say that already they
have more of the big cruising tyne OF
submarines than have the British. Eyi-
dence also is TO be seen that Germany's
MOSQUITO feet of torpedo boat destroy
crs has been considerably strengthened
since the outbreak Of the war in boats
having a speed of thirty-siX knots. De
tails are not given for obvious reasons
There have been a considerable mum
her Of additions TO the capital ships
also.
An interesting feature of the cor
respondents visit was the inspection oi
two submarines. One OF tnese, bleu'
tenant Weddigen's famous U-9, was OF
the old type. The other was one cf the
latest type and had just been put into
commission. This latter style of sub
marine is able TO keep to the sea about
as long as the crew can stand the
strain. The problem Of rescue in the
case of accident is solved by buoys
fore and aft to which chains can be at
tached. and a smaller buoy carrying q
telephone and an electric light. A
complete system of watertight com
partments give the crew chance OF
life even when quite hole has beer
opened in the shell.
The torpedo works have been almost
doubled in capacity since the beginning
of the war, and they are now turning
out more torpedoes than are used. sc
that the large reserve is increasing.
The ironclaid formerly called the
Oldenburg was the only warship 10 bt
seen in the harbor whose paint hac
been even marred. She has been used
for target practice, and now, battle
SCARED wreck, is in drydock, where she
is being patched up TO give the lackles
another chance 10 test their skill with
guns while they are waiting for an OPP
portunity TO attack British warship
SUBMARINE FEATS