Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-08-01
Capt. Persius in Review Of the
First Year of War Holds
Teutonic Policy Success.
ITS OFFENSIVE SPIRIT
CITED AS BIG FACTOR
Asserts Submarines Have Been Un.
expected Source of Strength and
Aircraft Also of Value.

BERLIN. July 31.-Although the
main German and British fleets have
not been matched in battle. the ending
Of the first year of the war finds that
Germany has distinguished herself at
sea, says Capt. l. Persius in a naval
review prepared for the Associated
Press. Capt. Persius, formerly an om-
Ger of the German navy. Is recog-
nized authority on German naval az
fairs and Is naval expert of the Ber-
liner Tageblatt. He says Germany's
policy has been to attempt to weaken
her chief opponent at sea. by using
submarines and mines. to point where
there will be some prospect Of success
of an attack on the main British fleet.
His review follows.
"The German fleet may boast that
the offensive spirit 1t has displayed has
constituted the most prominent and
decisive feature Of all the naval war
theaters.' War was declared against
Russia August l, and August the
sian war port of Libau. The declara-
ton of war against France was issued
August 3, and the following day the
cruisers Goeben and Breslau shelled
the troop embarkation points of Phil
lipeville and Bona. on the North Afri,
can coast Finally England declared
war August 4, and the 9Th the mine
layer Koenigin Luise planted mines at
the mouth of the Thames, one of which
destroyed the cruiser Amphion.
Displayed Daring Offensive.
1--WE thus see that from the very be-
ginning German warships displayed a
spirit of daring offensive. Not only in
European waters, but in distant seas
we heard of victorious combats where
in our cruisers were engaged. In ma
jority Of cases the foreign cruisers. like
the home units, fought against much
superior forces.
I'm Germany the gigantic task of our
sea forces Is in no wise underestimated.
We know that the British fleet alone.
so far as material strength Us con-
cerned, is considerably more than twice
our. superior, but we are certain that
the same heroic spirit Of determination
to win exists In the fleet as in the
army and that we can depend upon the
efficiency of our material, which, even,
though Inferior in quantity. can brave
comparison with that of any other
power for excellence in construction of
artillery and machinery.
I'VE do not forget that the British
fleet, first in the world and of glorious
history, is, an opponent worthy of all
respect. Nevertheless, at the close Of
the first year Of the war 1T may be said
without exaggeration that its achieve
menus DO not measure TO our eApeC-
tations It has lacked, it seems. the
iron determination and ability to con-
The British admiralty has held
strictly to the strategy of caution.
The German submarine danger is, we
realize, partly responsible. but it can
not be questioned that as a conse-
quence of undeniably evident lack OF
power no longer stands so mistaken
throughout the world as formerly. Brit
ish forces have been victorious only in
engagements where they were over
land Islands: and even this is not
claimed by the British press to be an
unconditional success, because the bat
tie was too costly In time and sacrifice.
Strategy Proved Correct.
"Our. naval authorities followed general
ly the principle of keeping battleships in
harbor while attempting to weaken the
enemy through minor warfare. particular
" with submarines and mines, to a point
where an attack on the main feet will
offer some prospect OF success. How cor
rect this strategy was is proved by the
past twelve months Thanks to the ef-
fectiveness of our submarines, which ex-
cited the justified admiration Of the
whole world. it has been possible sorely
to wound the British fleet.
I'm addition, our submarine arm mas
busted itself since the beginning of the
year in an entirely unexpected way. as
destroyer Of commerce. Views may difrer
as to the final outcome in this field, but
1t is undeniable that a nation like Ger
many, whose commerce has been driven
from the seas, but which can subsist with
out imports, has an extraordinary ad-
vantage over country dependent almost
entirely, like Britain, upon importations
of food and raw materials across the
water The submarine danger unQues-
tionably weighs like nightmare upon the
habitants of the sea-washed land. The
future results of the wide extension, as
we hope, of the fruitful activity of our
cannot be predicted, but the
expectation generally is cherished in Ger
many that the submarine campaign will
help to accelerate the demand for peace
in England.
Every type of warship has fallen VIC
tim to German submarines-the battle
ships Formidable. Triumph and Majestic.
the armored cruisers Hogue, Cressy and
Abouxir. the Russian armored cruiser Pal
laba, the cruisers Hawke and Pathfinder
and the British destroyer Recruit, for
example-and neither the express steamer
nor the slow fishing boat is safe from
our deadly torpedoes.
I'm addition. the aerial arm of the serv-
ice has won many laurels. Zeppelins
crossed the North sea safely, even to Lon
don and back. and German aeroplanes
in the destruction of the
question whether airships and aeroplanes
could be used extensively at sea must, in
the light OF the achievements of our air.
craft, be answered aff1rmatively
German Aircraft Successful.