New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-10-28
More Goading From Captain Persius

! 1here is nOlnlnS new III Iie ieiiSH" Va
Captain Persius over the inactivity and
want Of enterprise shown by the British
navy. All the German naval critics have
dwelt on this point constantly, never ceas-
ing to taunt the enemy on the score of
timidity bordering on cowardlce, re-
proach of which Captain Persius, how
ever. magnanimously acquits the fleet,
LAYING all the blame on the administra-
tion at Whitehall. "The First Lord OF
the Admiralty" he explains, wants
majority Of the chances of success on his
side, and in the present case he may have
considered that the forces at his dlsposai
for the operation in question were not
equal to the German naval forces and the
German coast defences."
What "the operation in question" Is can
hardly be gathered from the truncated
passage quoted in the Berlin dispatch to
"The New York Times" but it Is clear
that Captain Persius has been discussing
several recent events, including the opera
tions in the Gulf of Riga and the success
full attack on a convoy between the Shet-
land Islands and the Norwegian coast. lie
goes on to speculate on the prospect OF
offensive operations in the Helgoland
Blight or against the German coast, but
without holding out much hope Of so dar-
| ing an adventure.
He is probably not far wrong in his
conjecture that pressure will again be
brought to bear on the Admiralty in re-
spect of what he calls its passive atti-
tude." And, indeed, the aggressive re-
formers who boosted three months ago
of their success in driving Sir Edward
/ Carson out of Office have apparently
genuine grievance. What evidence Is
there of that miraculous transformation
predicted with so much confidence when
Sir Eric Geddes was appointed First
Lord? Three months is not long period,
but Sir Eric's predecessor had not been
in office above two when rumors of his
resignation were current; and we all know
what the more noisy Of the ink-pot strate-
pists would have said had the events of
the last few days occurred under his ad-
ministration.
It is not the fault of those who accepted
the word of these critics if they feel
obliged to recognize a certain justice In
the censure Of the Germans, and feel as
much disappointment as Captain Persius
himself in the changes that promised so
much five months ago. For 1t IS actually
impaired to Whitehall in the person OF
Sir Eric Geddes, who at once-accordlng
to so high an authority as Mr.. Pollen-be-
came a dictator in pretty well everything
EXCEPT the conduct of the war. The fin
ishing touch was his appointment as First
Lord in place of one whose whole attitude
was an abdication of original policy" At
last the submarine was to be beaten, and
under the influence of another "school of
thought" wonders were to be wrought by
complete change of system.
1t is always possible that the taunts Of
Captain Persius are not entirely disin-
terested and that occasional mishaps are
not invariably attributable to schools of
tnOugnL OF rlIsI Loiuo' iHO wal q" %"
is a complicated affair, and it is conceivable
that there are some difficulties in the bust
ness that are not always visible to the
aggressive school of thought. In his
modest address to his constituents the
present First Lord dropped hint which
some of his enthusiastic worshippers might
ponder. when l went to the Admiralty
| thought / knew all about the deeds
of the navy" he said; "but / didn't" 1t
is not impossible that those who complain
so much Of inactivity might be forced to
revise their opinions if they were in his
place. AS it is, however, they provide
useful and welcome texts to German
critics.