Albuquerque morning journal., 1916-01-10
CORRESPONDENTS
VISIT THE BRITISH
FLEET At REST
Naval Base in North Sea Pre-
sents Spectacle Of Marvel.
Gus Power Watching for
Germans at Exit Of Canal.

I London, Jan. s.-UndeT escort Of
officers assigned by the admiralty. a
ic0rrespondent OF the Associated Press
and a party OF foreign journalists
5Tere giyen the first opportunity 10
visit one Of the great naval bases on
the coast where cruisers, destroyers
and submarines are assembled for
their watch over the North sea and
l from which point the big ocean-going
Submarines are sent in forays TO the
Baltic and the Dardanelles.
II was an impressive sight Of con-
lcentrated power and alert readiness,
with long lines Of battle-scarred cruis-
ers stretching seaward and headed BY
Me famous Arethusa. back Of them
q vast flotilla OF deslroyers. then
countless number Of submarines Of
the latest d and + type. which have
recently performed such brilliant
work from the Dardaneiles 10 the Bos-
, phorus and throughout the Baltic.
Weather l. Rigorous.
The day was typical Of the rlgors
the British fleet is now experiencing
IN the North sea, with rain pelting the
sailors in oilskins, a north wind cut
ting the sea into foam and sea gulls
everywhere. The little fishing village
on the coast had been transformed by
the war into a vast naval rendezvous.
with storehouses stretching half
niie, prepared 10 re-equip an armada
and send 1t back 10 sea within two
hours after its arrival.
Here also were the mother ships.
ranged in long lines about the quay.
ready 10 receive back their fighting
children each time they came from a
raid or battle
The huge establishment was yibrat-
ing with energy, and in the harbor
mine sweepers were coming back from
their work; hydro-aeroplanes were
maneuyering and black smoke from
the tunnels of the cruisers and de-
stroyers told OF their readiness to dash
out to sea
Search for German Ships.
The Arethusa and the light cruiser
squadron had just returned from
scouting along the German coast in
search Of a German fleet which was
said to have ventured out from the
K!el canal Nothing had been seen
of the German ships and the 3, .tish
officers-thc same who had received
their stars in the famous fights under
Vice Admiral Sir David Beatty
were derisive at the idea that the Ger
mans would venture forth.
one 0f the officers was in COM
mand Of the torpedo tubes when they
fired the deadly missiles which struck
the German cruiser Bluecher. and sent
her to the bottom last January. He
pointed out these self-same tubes and
told how they had worked.
First we let 60 that one" he said
and then this one. It was this one
that hit the Bluecher amidship. She
was lying off about fifteen hundred
Yards The thing that impressed me
after We hit her was the deathly still
ness.
Show Many Battle Sears.
Yes. this is the one that did it,
and he patted this terrible death
dealing engine affectionately. as if 1t
were his child Sars Of battle We're
all over the ship. The upper works
were literally peppered with shrapnel,
but the scars were neatly handaged
with two-inch riveted steel plates so
that the saucy Arethusa was again as
good as ever.
The party now went aboard the lat
est type of big destroyers. They are
very fast. some Of them making thir-
ty-seven OF thirty-eight knots.
Lying outside Of them We're the
submarines Of the p and f type, the
latter being seagoing craft of great
radius
"They can stay under water for sew
enty-two hours he said, yes, three
days without inconvenience"
There were many famous seafight-
ers among the destroyers. including
the Lance, which helped sink the
Koenigin Luise off Harwich and was
in the Heligoland battle. In fact all
these ships had seen battele service
unless they had lust come from the
wards