New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-12-26
German Naval Policy.

DR.. schott spoke so frankly OF Ger
many's naval impotence in his recent al
dress before the Austrian Geographical
Society that II was reasonable TO suppose
his government was willing to let the peo-
ple know the true state of affairs at sea-
Only the other day, however, an oiilciai
announcement was published showing that
n mart of the feet had failed 10 discover a
British ship anywhere after having
again searched the North Sea for the
enemy" It seems, therefore, that the fic-
ton Of disputed command Of these waters
IS still used to hearten the German
popUlace.
Nevertheless, 1t is probable that by de-
grees the people will be taught to revise
their original conception Of the function
of the German navy. In the early days of
the war they expected too much, not only
because their heads had been stuffed with
the nonsense of such impostors as Revent-
low. but because they had been misled
even by their own government. If their
expectations had been realized the British
navy by now would be reduced to an
equality with their own, instead of being
stronger in proportion than ever before.
On that point the "Staats-Zeitung," Of
this city, was quite confident year ago,
and It was only rejecting the hopes Of the
German people at home.
Naval men in Germany must have
known that these popular hopes were more
or less delusive, and, indeed, some Of the
soberer writer's, such as Captain Persius,
published occasional warnings. But it is
only of late that there are signs of gen
eral disposition 70 be reconciled to new
and more reasonable understanding of the
navv's services. Notable indications of
this change Of mind may be found
in various places, and it is probable that
writer's on naval matters have been
prompted by hints from headquarters.
DR.. Otto Gaupp's account Of recent
visit 10 the feet is remarkable when COM
pared with the idle Boosting that was so
prevalent year ago. Thus, in defining its
purpose in the war he writes in the
"Munchner Neueste Nachrichten":
Without II the enemy would lie thick be-
fore our harbors in the Baltic and the North
Sea; without 10 our armies would have TO
reckon with hostile forces landing on our
coasts ct any moment, and thus tying up
large armies for their protection. Without
the feet our most important way into the
open, leading over the Baltic, would have
been shut from the first days Of the war.
Without Il England could have brought en-
tirely different pressure 10 bear on Denmark.
and in the Dardanelles and might have ter
rorized the whole Balkans into joining the
Entente; without II every attempt of the
neutrals TO restrict the English despotism
over the sea would be hopeless
This IS al very modest when we con-
slider the Wild Dragging that was INDUCED
in after the first successful submarine ex-
PLOTS. DR.. Gaupp proceeds to insist that
"the feet is a piece of armor covering g
vulnerable spot" and explains that "to
provoke q decisive battle against an over
whelming force would be heroic, but would
not be war" whereas by remaining intact
IL renders "the enemy's supremacy at sea
only provisional and conditional"
Il might have been well 70 let the peo-
pie know long ago that this was It's most
useful function. It's value has from the
first been strictly limited, and, though still
in being, it is powerless 70 prevent con-
slant flow Of troops 10 the Continent. AS
long, however. as it is in being it con-
tinues 70 be a menace, and the German
people should be allowed to understand
the exact value Of that menace. Evidently
the fleet must ultimately be destroyed or
surrendered II Britain's ambition IS to be
fulfilled. TO put to sea in force would be
70 court humiliation, for the odds are
overwhelmingly against the German feet.
But while It remains intact it continues
TO exert an influence which the enemy can
not wholly ignore.