Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1917-08-24
GERMAN HIGH SEA FLEET
EXPECTED TO Make DASH
War Experts Predict Fiial Defiant
Effort To Stave on
Defeat.

washington, Aug, lN.-Ihe Ger
man high seas fleet, long locked in its
harbor, is about to launch great
naval offensive, according to intima-
tions received in administration circles
here. War experts have predicted that
Germany would send out her fleet only
as last and desperate measure
final effort TO siave off defeat
nd bring aboet peace.
The intimations received here that
sh~ 'eniplates doing so arc based
on he fast that within the last few
zee lnrBe fleets Of new type of
: i.!inc swcepers-ln realty, combina-
i!cn mine sweepcrs-and dcstroyers
have been sent out Of the German
; North Sea ports, far into tho sea, APP
parcntly to clear way for the bat
lie ships.
Both British and American patrol
boats have sighted these new German
naval vessals, which so far, have re-
tired behind smoke screens on the first
sight of an approaching enemy evsscl.
Entire fleets of the vessels have
come out. however, and have been seen
by the captains of fishing vessels,
trawlers and merchant ships which
have put into English ports. Their
activities have been reprted to the
Navy Department here, word othem
being first contained, it is reported in
the dispatches of Vice-Admiral Will
liam S. Sims, commander of the Am
erican flotilla in foreign waters.
Leads to Great Deal of Work by
Naval Strategy BOARD.
The reports Of the activity of these
German vessels, and the plainly i'm
piled object of their work-to clear
way for the German dreadnoughts and
battle cruisers-havc caused much in
terest, and led to n great deal of work
by the naval strategy hoard horo
There is some unofficial discussion of
the possibility of major Americap hat
tleships being sent abroad To cooper
ate with the English grand fleet, and
possibly tho French feet should the
Germans come out, but SO far there is
nothing official to base this discussion
upon.
1t is pointed out as " development
of great Importance that amy German
mine sweepers at nll should come out.
There have been but few instances
during the war when such ships ven
tured beyond Helgoland The last
Skager-Rak battle, when the German
fleet FLASHED with several British
heavy squadrons in the greatest naval
fight of history.
That the Germans now not only
should begin large scale mine sweep
Ing operations, but in order to do il
should send out an entirely new type
of avail vessel, is considered ps of
tho utmost Significance. The new type
vessels are carrying on their work
more boldly than the old ones ever
did. They are securing many parts
of the waters, and the allied patrol
boats are being kept busy hunting
them down,
Description of New Vessels is Inter-
esting.
The description Of the new vessels
reaching here Is most interesting.
They are built on destroyer lines ex-
ccpt that they are most stocky, and |
have an unusually high bow. Their
bridges are high, as in the case of de-
stroyers, and they have high rakish
masts, equipped with wireless and
other signaling apparatus.
The most striking feature, however,
is the heavy armament thoy carry.
There is q high caliber gun on the
bridge, as in the case of destroycrs,
while lighter guns ere posted astern
and abeam.
When these vessels first. appeared in
tho North Sea fog they were mistaken
by the British for destroyers. Later
they again appeared, and this is re-
garded as most significant, as indicat-
ing the Importance the German Adj
miralty places on their operations
this time with destroyer fotilIa
acting as a screen.
The armed mine sweepers are only
one of several new types Of naval YES
selsdeveioped by Germany, 1t is UNI
derstood. Others include light-draft
motor launches, employed for troop
transports on Belgian rivers and can
ais behind the front, and river gun
boats, which draw only two feet of
water, also used behind the lines.
The Bsss-"As a shipping clerk,
you're the last degree of incompet-