The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1914-11-30
NO SECRECY AS TO
PREPAREDNESS OF
GERMANS FOR WAR
Sailors Show Associated
Press Correspondent
Through the Submarines.
Warships and Torpedo
Factory-Navy Now No
More Efficient Than In
Times of Peace

Kiei. Germany. November 2s.-tVia Ber-
lin The Hague and London.)-A pair of
gray submarines lie at the dock where
the American Sonderllasse yachts were
moored during their last visit TO Kiei.
warships anchored in the Fjord wear war
paint and have their torpedo nets rugged.
Red Cross flag flies from the Imperial
Yacht club. slSylights in the shipyafd
buildings have been blackened. Placards
In hotel rooms request that the window
shutters be closed at night. Machine guns
have been posted on high roofs. and occa-
sionaly sentlnels may be seen on the tops
of tall structures. A broad expanse OF
fortifcations and barbed wire entangle-
ments surround the city.
These precautions have been taken to
prevent an attack on the all important
I<iel canal by air or land. Otherwise the
I<iel of war days appears little different
from the Kiel of ordinary times. In the
harbor steamers and tugs with long tows
SO about their customary work. In town.
although there is more activity, the peo-
pie seem TO be pursuing their ordinary
course of life.
No Undue Secrecy
The sailormen in this great naval base
did not maintain an attitude of undue
secrecy toward the Associated Press cor
lrespondent visiting Kiel. He was taken
! svevyA here cheerfullx. He WAS shown
through every department OF the govern
ment torpedo factory, into which IN or
dinary times only those connected with
the service are allowed To enter He was
taken into the newest submarine. aboard
the biggest battleship. to watch battle
practice with heavy guns and torperdo.
and through the docks where torpedo
boats and submarines are being reftted
The visit convinced the correspondent
| that war for the German navy differs
from peace only in the existence OF an
actual, instead of prospective enemy
The navy's normal state of preparedness
was so high that virtually nothing re-
| NAMED to be done to the war vessels
after the outbreak of war except to peel
| off the paint from the inner walls to OBJ
viate the danger of fire. and to apply
thinner coating to the outside for n SINH
out with title more snap and enthusiasm
than In ordinary times.
See Tips of Russian Masts
Some of the officers and men said they
had seen the tips of Russian masts, but
they had seen nothing of war except the
strenuous outpost patrol duty In the VIM
try Baltic and North sea waters. the
occasional haiing of a passing freighter
furnished the only break In the monotony
But that work also Is part of the CUSTOM
ary peace routine.
These men Enthusiastically find 1t hard
to remain patient. but they take into con-
sideration the strategic grounes which
govern the policy of the German fleet.
They express little bitterness toward the
British, but rather a desire to match
strength with worthy opponent
A large number of submarines are ap-
preaching completion. Several have been
put into commission since the outbreak of
the war. All are of the largest sea going
type. Tho Germans claim that already
they have more OF the big cruising type OF
submarines than have the British. Evil
| s&s,n,s