The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-11-08

GERMAN ADMIRAL DISCUSSES
THE NAVAL WAR OF 1914
Rear Admiral Fritz Hoffman Explains Methods by
Which Fleets Attack Answers Question of
German Navys Seeming Inactivity

Tor the purpose Of securing information.
or possibly taking place in waters which
d. not allow the entire fleet TO partici-
pate IN the action, as. for instance, in
narrow streams, near a shallow coast.
In the deltns OF rivers. sc.
g. A blockade occurring when Il IN
necessary 70 bottle up fleet well pro-
tected by shelterlng coast and to pro-
vent it from reaching the open sea by
robbins Il OF It's freedom OF movement
4. A battle along tho coast tho pur-
pose or which IL to demolish coastal for
tresses in order 10 clear the way for
reaching the enemy's fleet
Which one Of these four methoda IN
chosen by the fleet which attacks de-
ponds upon many circumstances which
need not he enlarged upon here. Fro
ouently two or moro OF these methods
ere employed in conjunction.
The present war has produced a csus-
Gus phenomenon. England apparently
much the stronger, has hesitated d
bring about a quick conclusion OF ena
war by r1sking An attack In all prob
ability she fears tho inevitable iossas
attendant upon an attack and rsfratns
from disabling the hostile feet because
she hopes TO compass tho undoing Of
Germany in an indirect manner through
destruction OF her export trade Tho
future events of tho WIT will SHOW
whether the English Government has
committed grave error IN pursuing
| this course.
| We will now return to tho oftun aslrcd
question, why does the German deek
not attack the enemy7" In Wow al the
foregoing the reasons for this fnao-
| H,tf ,ot 10 Id
The German fleet, which In vsev a
! It's manifest weakness confidently dH-
pected 10 be attacked by the English
fleet, has gtrded Itself to meet that At
tack under the most favorable condi-
tions possible
with this end in view the German
feet details some cruisers for scout duty
along me English coast, whose pro-
jected task II was 60 keep tho squadron
informed Of the direction OF approach
and strength OF the English feet This
was the natural and correct thing 20
do. particularly az the English feet had
modified long before rho beginning OF
the war and also because tho velor OF
English admirals IN attacking the en-
lemy has become proverbial.
The task set the German scout
cruisers was performed IN tho following
way: Small vessels were sent into
English waters 20 observe the move
ments Of tho hostile fleet and 20 inJure
z by taking it by surprise when coca
sion offered, 20 destroy the enemy's
merchantmen, 20 harass hostile harbcrs
by laying mines in them. That these
measures were crowned with success
was amply attested by the official news
OF the belligerents. Through The work
Of our scouts IN English waters English
traffic in the North Sea has been ef-
fectually blocked and the usual Influx
OF food stuffs into English ports from
Denmark. Norway. Sweden and Russia
has totally ceased.
Tho holding off OF tho English Acct
had further good effect, for the Official
news OF both bellEerents told that the
German cruisers. which at the outset Of
} the war We're In foreign waters and in
German protective zones, had not been
inactive. BY attacking English cruisers,
English merchantmen and English
ports. the German have injured Eng
land severely and have seriously ham
! pered English commerce, thereby rasp-
! ing England's most sensitive nerve, her
oversee trade; while through causing
pauclty Of food staples and raw mate
! rial for industrial purposes with a cor
responding increase in marine insur ,
ance and food prices and the number e
her unemployed. England herself has
been made to suffer.
While the German feet, with its
meagre strength and it's cruisers IN for
eign waters WAS developing this sue
Cessful activity tho vessels in which cen
tired her greatest strength, her fleet NJ
, hattleships was condemned to inactivity
waiting for a favorable opportunity 10
attack the enemy. AZ indicated above
this opportunity has not yet presented
itself.
The German people has every cause
to be proud Of the achievements OF IT'S
fleet. and the many sacrifices which
these achievements have cost ma have
not been made In vain, for our Grand
Admiral Won Trpitz has given the Faith
erland n sharp weapon which will do
It's duty Wherever and whenever called
upon.