The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-08-01
Prof. William Lcdyard Cath
cart Compares Strength Of
Great European Fleets.
ny PROF. WILLIAM LEDYARD
CATHCART.
Formerly OF the United states
q Navy, late Of Colombia untver-
sity's star, and recognized ss
an expert on matters connected
with naval warfare.

with naval warfare.
During the year Of war Just endlng,
naval engagements have been far fewer
than the magnitude Of the vast armadas
nassed for this mighty conflict led a
waiting world to expect. And yet II IL
wholly safe to say that no year since
the dawn Of history has seen such I'M
|precedented and spectacular effects In the
conduct OF naval war. Great Britain's
Grand Fleet" the largest In number and
power the world has ever known. has
tugged at Its anchors In some secluded
port. but its tense quiescence has been
that OF the lion quivering for its spring.
Held at bay by It and under the protec-
ton OF submarines. mines. fortihcations
and stone walls. Germany's great ships.
the second In strength OF the worlds
~navles. have lain inert, their existence
marked only by minor and ~infreauent
raids. all ineffective militarily and some
OF them disastrous materially.
The few actions which have occurred
between capital ships and Germany's
harassing policy OF attempting to wear
down her foe by submarine warfare
have had. each In Its wi way. momen-
tous effects on the naval architecture
and feet tactics of the future. These
swift changes have been startling TO sea
officers who cherish the memories OF past
days. Stately line-of-battle ships no lon
ger advance. slowly and majestically IN
column formation. to grapple nerce'y In
the end at point blank range. Instead.
enormous armorclads have charged at
express speed In a running aud decisive
fight over wide stretches Of sea. airing
effectively AZ unprecedented distances
from guns which are still below the sea
horizon OF their foe.
IN Auguat 1914 three aya before
Great Britain declared war against Ger
many. it's Home Fleet. now the Grand
Fleet. sailed FOR "A publicly des-
;ination. presumably In or near the North
Sea. II consisted OF &63 vessels. as fol-
lows 60 battleshlps. l2 battle cruisers.
- armored and light cruisers, IL mine
sweepers and mine layers, la d~sstroyers
and ether torpedo craft. 2 tenders and
repair and depot ships, - patrol boats
and IS submarines. Opposing his vast
aggregation were the German High Seas
and Reserve fleets. composed Of 80 bat
tlesh!p~. 3 battle cruisers, 30 armored
and light cruisers. $50 destroyers and
torpedo boats, rs submarines and various
aux!liaries. such as mine LAYERS and re-
pair and depot ships. a total OF moro
than 275 vessels OF all classes.
Task Of French Fleet.
Supporting the British force In the
| Channel and the Atlantic. there has been
n French feet OF ! armored cruisers.
numerous auxiliary cruisers and 40 tor
pedo craft, The operations In the Medi-
terranean. except those at the Darda.
nelles. have been also chiefly In the
hands OF the French. who. for eleven
months with a force OF 4 dr~eadnoughts
and s pre-dreadnought battleships. at
tended by cruisers and destroyers. have
maintained a close blockade in the
! Adriatic Sea against the entire Austrian
I fleet OF IS battleships. IL cruisers. II
torpedo craft and II submarines
There has been much adverse and I'M
informed on the seeming Quies-
cencc OF the still silent British feet.
That the battleships Of the greatest sea
power on earth. on whose navy in the
last decade sl.s+0,ssl.o 900 have been
| spent. should lie for a year ~ war with
out firing a shot. has seemed. naturally
enough. Incomprehensible TO the lay
mind, used to prompt and visible results
from adequate expenditures for their at
! tainment. The fundamental principles OF
grand strategy give full answer to this
criticism. For the offensive. concentra-
ton at the decisive poin, Is the cardinal
| principle.
Napoleon's dictum. war is a business
NJ positions" WAS never truer than in
Anglo-German naval strategy Of to-day.
The British feet. by far the stronger Of
the two. concentrated and acting on Sc
| cret information before the declaration
of war. assumed the offensi,~ promptly.
| occupying the commanding strategic po-
sition which the geographical location Of
the British Isles gave II. After It's sail
ing, the delay In declaring war-due TO