The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1915-01-06
German NavyBeganWith-
out Traditions.
.OAR|NG DEEDS ARE RECORDED
Sea Raiders Have Gone Scout
ing Knowing Deadly Fate
Awaited Them.
GERMAN VIEW OF SITUATION

One thing the German navy has
done in the present war--it has sup
plies its own traditions.
Counting no more decades than
the English navy does centuries, the
German navy went into the war
with no deeds of past glory to AMI
mate it's sailors, lacking the "spir-
il of their fathers to start from ev-
cry wave" with no memories of a
Blake and Nelson, of Trafalgar
or routed Armada to thrill them.
1t will be different i'm the future.
The exploits of the Emden. the
Konigsberg and the fleet under Won
Spec. however disastrous their mn
ish. have in the first weeks OF the
war supplied the German navy with
a page of daring that rivals the an
nails of England and which Is gen.
erously acclaimed by the Engiish
themselves, in whom the biood vi
the Vikings stirs to admiration at
sea daring even in foe.
One phase of the careers of the
German raiders and battle cruisers
that is impressive is that their fate
has been sealed from the first. Soon
er or later they were bound to en-
counter superior force of the enc
nv and go to the bottom. Speed,
seamanship and sagacity could only
serve to keep them going while
longer and permit them to inlet
more damage on the enemy's SHIP
ping. The seas are wide, but not
! wide enough to let them slip away
always from the ships of four ma
tions on the watch for them
This realization that the German
ships were doomed was set forth
by Capt. l.. Persius, of the German
navy, in the Berliner Tageblatt Of
November IA. when he said in writ
ing on the question:: I'm what
measure is Great Britain now justi-
fed in speaking of its rule of theI
sea-" Then he said;
Despite the fact that our brave
Emden, after heroic battle near
the Cocos Islands, was destroyed OH
November 9 by the Australian cruis-
er Sidney, and the Konigsberg is
confined in the Rufldji river, on the
East African coast. by the British
cruiser Chatham sinking collier at
its mouth, we may nevertheless re-
member with pride that the Emden.
during period of three months, in
fiicted severe wounds upon the hos
tile commerce, and as it thus was
In the Indian Ocean (and we hope
will soon again be the case. when,
perohance. a sister of the Emden
will make its appearance thereD so
il is now in the Atlantic and Pacific
Oceans.
There We have our cruiser fleet
whose capital tactical and strategic
leadership succeeded in decisively
defeating the English on November !
on the coast of Chile, and there |
are various of our cruisers COM
pletely unframed and ready to
make life burdensome for the mer-
chant ships Of the enemy.
I'VE saw that few swift and In
some measure well-armed ships, OF
under ideal leadership. were
sent out to do harm to the hostile
seapower and merchant marine, and
no Englishman to-day will be able
to view their work with light
heart.
But. of course. we indulge our
selves in no false hopes. This con-
iition, so far as it pertains to extra
European waters. can unfortunately
,nly be of temporary duration. In
he end our brave mruiser command
rs will find it impossible to main
ain themselves. Lacking any point
II support. any assistance whatever,
hey, too. will succumb to the enc
ny's strength. They cannot main
ain themselves over against the
ombined English. French. Russian
nd japanese forces. The difference
n number is too great. Our powers
re too weak to dispute the rule of
he sea by the enemy for any ex-
ended length OF time. We know
his, but we calmly face the situa-
lon. proud of the past achieve
tents of our feet and hoping that It
Jay yet nail many others to It's