Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1915-06-17
GREAT FLEET FOUND
British Navy Is at Anchor in the
0rkneys.
American Ship officer, on Height,
Sees Worlds Most Formidable
Fleet - Secrecy and Close
Guard Is Maintained.
BY LOUIS EDGAR BROWNE.


Rotterdam, Holland.-The British
North sea battleship feet is in the
Orkney islands north Of Scotland. For
more than two months there has been
no official news given to the world as
to its whereabouts or what it was do
ing. On the contrary, strenuous ef-
forts have been made to conceal the
location of the fleet. The fleets great
work is done. 1t destroyed every Ger.
man commerce raider. 1t drove every
enemy ship to harbor.
There remains only one task-the
destruction of the German feet. Brit
ish naval policy long ago assumed
definite shape There is believed to be
little doubt that the British fleet will
annihilate the enemy when they meet,
but the admiralty thinks that this
meeting will take place only when
the Germans are ready to fight 10
open sea. Until then the British feet
will remain safe in port. 1t will not
risk unremunerative loss by permit.
ting isolated divisions to cruise in the
North sea- fair and sure target fof
the active German submarines
Consequently the British fleet lies
at anchor just as far from the Ger
it is ready. There Is no question
about that. 1t is in the pink of condi
tion-and Is eager.
BY years of labor and the expendi
ture of much money the English
navy has transformed the barren
desolate Orkney islands into one OF
the strongest naval positions In the
world. 1t Is Great Britain's Kiel ca
nal and Wilhelmshaven all in one. The
great feature about this base Is its
inaccessibility.
The mate Of an American merchant
ship which was held at Kirkwall in
the Orkney islands pending examina-
tion slipped ashore. He made COM
plete circuit of the Kirkwall mainland
and from the top of mountain which
overhangs the landlocked harbor he
had an excellent view of the great hid
den naval base.
When the American ship was at
Kirkwall there were more than sew.
enty great warships lying at anchor
under the lee Of the island Of Hoy.
Forty of these were dreadnaughts and
tleships and large armored cruisers.
In other parts of the bay were fleets
Of warships Of other types.
To the left of the battleship feet
was an armada Of more than 100
wicked looking destroyers, while still
farther to the left lay fleet of armed
merchantmen, probably to be used as
transports. Behind the dreadnaught
fleet, built out from the sandy shore,
was long wharf with several small
buildings upon 1t. To this wharf a
feet Of submarines was tied side by
side in groups Of four.
Three entrances to Scapa Flow are
completely blocked with great chain
booms and strong wire nets. The
fourth is obstructed in the same man.
ner, SO that only skillful pilot can
bring a big ship through In safety.
One might sail around the Orkneys
indefinitely and never suspect that the
most powerful fleet in the world lay
hidden just over the circular ridge Of
mountains.
German submarines are constantly
oh
that one or more is not sighted. 1t
has been reported that several Ger
man submarines have been sunk just
off the Orkneys.
The British navy has taken elabor-
ate precautions to prevent German
cruisers from getting to sea for COM
merce raiding. The Skager-Rak, be.
tween Norway and Denmark, is
watched closely by swift destroyers
and submarines. II German ships
stand out from the Baltic into the
North sea through the Skager-Rak
the destroyer informs the headquar.
ters Of the fleet, on the island of Hoy
in the Orkneys, by wireless, giving
the strength of the enemy, the course
and speed.
There is another strong patrol
which completely blocks the North
sea between the Shetland islands and
the coast of Norway. The English
channel blockading fleet comes under
another division entirely. But all are
quite sure that a German cruiser
would not elude discovery If 1t at
tempted dash to the open Atlantic.