The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-12-01
British Naval OFFICER
filings Def to Germans
Who Refuse 10 Fight

BASE or BRITISH GRANT FLEE /
Nov. Se.-Thc h"'t,t 1t IN" BRITISH A"in,r'
atty. speaking III" "'h"" day III 'H'
House OF Commons. flung GU; "htl-
lcngc 20 the Germany Navy. II" >aio'
II disclose 10 secret, ~ K L - u seer
I disclose 4 fact which should ~ c''"
20 tcll tn. nn"rry--whcn say max '''
British Grand Ei""; il lr& northern base
lies behind TO sho-" !"f"nSeS. bnt E''''E
on its own strength alone.
There arc people in thr United states
who do nos appreciate IN" activities OK
the British Navy In its nom" waters
who think that II lies in iIi' a"sSi EN'
the German EfiSh Seas fleet. behind :''i'
penetrahle landlocked bass For hs
purpose OF rsmovlaS this impression
The Associated l'-rSS representative WIS
asked TO visit the Grand Fleet. liNs on
hoard th,. fir~t-t:n.. blt:lc$hl1S. ana CD
serve just what sort ~ 4 days work u
puts in day after day and week AFTER
week.
:, Ceaseless activity is :h> motto Of tn'
Grand Fleet. Neither Mon nor ships AZ
permitted 70 gather rust ~ earh't|'"S'
From its haS.' Ut the northern mp OF 'H'
British Isles. it sweeps day anu h'Sht '"'
10000 square miles Of IN" EGr'h S'I
on ccaSclsSS vigil. In untihESiht H""'
that one dag its watching Will nc r.
waried by meeting with the enemy
under circumstances Wherein HH Can''">
avoid battle. Moreover. this sweeping
OF the North Sea Is no n!cr" altnteSS
patrol. In the mos, casual moves ~
ships and men ;hs-c is always 4 direct
ing mind ADD = directing pi4H. ih
North Sea Is rs we'll swept III rotation
TO its size as the drawing room ~ well
ordered house. Tho cncmy'S "caStitns IL
still the British Nays frontier.
The harbor which has been Tho hom"
OF the Grand Fleet Coz :hT". '.
probably the finest OF It's kind In the
world. The Who'll. area c"t!ilt;'N - :
This British northern base Is ah"Wt "lu'i
to the hundred-odd square miles wh'cn
tho Germans evacuated n Franco last
spring. The hattleship ,sQNadronS. for
example within their owr particular sec
ton Of this great base. have room Tor
every kind OF practice nIanoeuvres. M
Guiding target practice.
On a sunny afternoon tho correspond
ent saw eight battieShipS ut turTet OF
target practice. 4 detachment OF cruisers
in manneuvrsS. 4 experimentation snip
at work; under conditions stimulating
those Of actual warfare. and off around
the edges. various operations 10y innum'
, cradle small craft and auXiliari"S.
Eixht tarrc; practice. which ais" :
conducted wl;hia n" harh"r. : always
an interesting Sieh;. tn" ht't'"Sh'i,s
steam dowa III" uiN..-rrit" r"UTS''. SUI
denly "a Scarc!.tieh: picks ny tarS";
Instantly every iurrct - trained. ":crH
gun directed Then Il button - pressed
somewhere. and tn" guns speak as witt
ono roic.. in Is g:@;ultic br"adSar!" ti;lI
hos tho Mills.
There is I'm infinite variety u n" tur'
ret practice IN n big bati.rSAii'. Th'
officer in ch;,:-g" OF N" turr'.t speaks
AN enemy $h"li has come IN ;hr"Hg'
.. the turrc,.. killing men nuTt""rS !. ="
and S. Right gun disabled. '"nn"'ii"r
/ with rest ~ shin lost. Carr on: Thu
!: dead mon" file of to on" SD. and wa;r!
their comrades work a they would IT
actual battle. TherH - in' H"St -! I
game 20 IL.
:, The officer speaks aSa!a' "St,ri; h'Ls
hit turret killing :,ii u"ts "Nsv?; Nun
koers and : Number i seriously
wounded. Ammunition h"iStirg machine
cry disabled FIR. started ~ i!t" -;
waste behind gun. Carry on" The sin
: gle uuwounded man let, IN n" turr'I
must noy endcavor 10 keep the guns il
action siusle-haud.d. besides d"altnt
with a firr and u seriously wounded
man. The dead MN stand along the
edge Of the turr"t and watch their com
= radc'S efforts 70 larry on with inter
est and amusement.
1t is play. hu, play with Il deadly eff
iciency behind - t"r !; - Intended thai
, in actual battle. there shall mo; b" u sin
! gle possibility with which thcS" m"n w!t
not be ready TO deaf.