Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-03-13
KAISER'S NAVY READY
TO STAKE ALL in LAST
DESPERATE THROW
German Warships Preparing to
Fight British Fleet, AM
sterdam Correspondent
Insists
SHORTAGE OF SAILORS

LONDON. March 13-The Rotterdam
correspondent of the Daily Mail in q
mail communication sent on March s, says
he can confirm the report that the German
fleet is preparing to fight the British
fleet.
Discussing the reasons for the German
decision to accept battle after refusing
1t for 10 months, the correspondent says
without acting on the theory that II
she losses the war Germany will lose her
fleet. German statesm n take the view that
II the fleet is lost its destruction must
first cost the enemy enormous sacrifices
"'No German ship shall surrender is
the unwritten order.
But the Germans will not sacrifice
their fleet merely for the sake of national
sentiment. They will not send their ships
to destruction merely to save themselves
the humiliation of seeing them towed out
OF the Kiel Canal. The German naval staff
is about to challenge Great Brtain's naval
supremacy because they think they can
deal that supremacy severe, IL not a
deadly. blow.
THE increasing effect of the blockade,
Internal unrest and the military menace
of the Allies undoubtedly have had an
influence on the naval policy but have not
decided that policy, only stimulated it."
TO USE REPRESENTATIVES,.
Referring to the universal belief in Ger
many that terrible weapons against the
British navy have been forged, the cor
respondent describes this belief as fan
tastic. He says he has ground for skepti-
cism regarding the reports of 17-inch
guns, unsuitable battleships, discoveries In
magnetic power applied to mines and tor
pedoes, and impregnable floating forts, but
he believes that the supersubmarine is the
weapon with which Germany hopes to
strike effectively at the British navy
Germany" he says. NOW possesses
submarines of power and displacement un-
dreamed of at the outbreak of the war
1t Is claimed that these monster craft can
voyage as far as India independent of any
aid. In their building men nave been kept
at work night and day for months. The
best German inventive and constructive
minds have been employed in perfecting
a huge flotilla of submarines Fortunate.
ly the German marine staff has faced n
serious handicap They have materials
submarines, but not sufficient sailors to
man them.
"The German loss In submarines in the
last few months is greater than the Ger
man Admiralty cares to confess. They
do not mind the loss of the boats as much
as they do the loss of the trained crews
With their system of short service the
Germans cannot turn out sailors of first
class quality, especially men called to ex.
ercise rare technical knowledge and re.
markable physical endurance In the
cramped chambers of a submarine. New
ertheless, crews are being trained speedily
and efficiently within the limits of the
German war machine
TO MAKE DESPERATE EFFORT.
After detailed reference to the conf
dence of the Germans in their fleets flu
ture achievements, the correspondent
says:
Putting aside sensational press artl-
cles and idle cafe chatter II is a fact that
in the near future our navy will achieve
its great desire and the most terrible sea
fight in history will bring the end of the
war In sight. Germany is preparing a last
desperate throw. In which she will employ
all her resources of land. sea and air
Zeppelins are being built with feverish
speed. The German plan is to forestall
the ALLIES and strike before our men, guns
and munitions have achieved a superiority
that must insure victory.
THE attack on Verdun ia the prelude to
the last phase of the world war. A blood
red dawn is rising. Whole armies viii be
destroyed mighty ships will be derelict, |
thousands OF homes will be devastated In |
he awful tragedy OF a great nation rush |
ng to suicide"