El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-10-10
AND NOT
BERLIN, MAY Be
ALLIES PRIZE
Great Krupp Works Are
Main German Dependence
in the European War.
CAPTURE WOULD
BE SEVERE BLOW
BY PHILLIP EVERETT.

OkDON, Eng, Oct. 1OCEssen, ana
not Berlin, is the city the allies
L. would gain most by capturing
This is because the German army and
navy is largely dependent on the great
Krupp works. II Germany is invaded
the French and British armies probably
would strike 1t Essen in an effort to
cripple GermaDy's gun supply system
This is a weak spot in Germany's ar
engagements
The navy. as well as the army, is
largely dependent on the Krupps. This
is a factor to be considered in the
strenuous efforts the German admiralty
is now making with view TO bringing
the German fleet on something Ike
parity with the allies.
Just at present both Germany ana
Great Britain are pushing their ship
yards to the limit 1t is generally be-
ueved that the German fleet is waiting
for new vessels before coming out OF
the harbors to attack the British fleet
in the North sea.
Germany Adds Three Battleships.
In regard TO battleships, the next YES
sells to be added to the German navy
are the three OF the 1911 program, the
Konig, Markgraf and Grosser Kurfurst
They are understood to be fitting out
at Wilhelmshaven dOckyard. the Weser
yard. Bremen, and the Vulcan yard.
Hamburg, respectively They were ali
launched during 1913, the KONG on
March !. the Ma-kgraf on June and
the Grosser on May 5.
The three battleships referred TO are
now due for commissioning, and may De
already under the pennant The next
to follow them Will be the krOnprinz,
the only battleship OF the 1912 pro-
gram, which was launched on February
q last and was due to join the fleet
next summer. With a little speeding
up, however. It might be possible to
take three or four months off her
building period
Two Battle Cruisers Nearly Ready.
In the same annual program as the
four battieships mentioned are the two
battle cruisers Derfflfnger 1Sll) and
Luetzow (1912). The former was
launched on July I. 1913. at the Blohm
& Voss yard. Hamburg, and Is now
probably in service. The latter was
launched on November % last, at the
Schichau yard. Danzig, and il seems
likely that efforts will be made TO get
her completed before the end OF the
present year.
There is a chance. Of course, that the
Russians may interfere with shlpbulld-
ing at Danzig and EIDlng IN pus1tl5
their armies into east Prussia Another
battle cruiser is the Salamis, Wnlcn
was laid down by the Vulcan company
in January. 1913, for the Greek navy.
She was 10 have received an American
armament Of eight Il inch guns, manu-
featured by the Bethlehem Steel COM
pany, but Il is doubtful II they have
been delivered
Turning to light cruisers, IL is this
class which has been most affected by
such operations Of the war as have yet
taken place. The Magdeburg, MainZ,
Koln. and Ariadne have been destroyed,
IN addition to which nine others are
=. cH
waters and are consequently not avail
able for service in the North sea OI
the six on hand, the Graudenz and Re
zensburg, belonging to the 1872 pro-
gram, were launched in October and
ADriI last. respectively, and should be
in commission by 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
destrovers and submarines. that Ger
many will probably be able to strength
an her fleet materially and rapidly.
There were in hand at least score Of
destroyers and the same number OF
submarines when the war broke out,
large number OF which may have since
been completed. II II has been de-
ternined to concentrate the energies Of
the German yards upon torpedo craft
as may well be the case,
the output monthly may be consider
a HE There are four yards IN Germany
fnE Of torpedo vessels. and before the
war the period OF construction at these
yards was on an average Of from 10 to
is months. As they built for foreign
governments as we'll their full capacity
Is probably three or four times the Il
destroyers and six submarines provided
annually under the German navy law.
Yards which have not been mainly en-
oloyed in torpedo craft construction can
In an emergency undertake such work,
and no doubt, If IL is considered de-
sirable, at least Il yards IN Germany
may at the present time be engaged in
this branch Of naval construction
Krupp the Weak Spot
The weak spot in Germany's arrange
ments for warship construction Is in
the Krupp monopoly. When,
some years ago, count Won ReventloW
made inquiry into the resources Of the
country for rapid construction. several
of the yards made their estimates Of
output conditional on the prompt deliv-
cry by Krupp Of the armOr and arma-
nent- IN spite OF the enormous add I
lions made IN recent years to the works l
u the great firm at Essen. IT is certain /
that II a serious proposal has been
made to increase the annual shipbuild- Z