Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1918-06-21

(The author Of these series, "De-
serter,'' Second Lieutenant in the
German Navy has escaped from Hehgo-
land and now is in Holland, and from
Amsterdam sends his thrilling accounts
of what is going on behind the curtain
at naval bases on the North Sea. In
this instalment he states how the Ger
mans combined sea ..forces will soon
make a desperate dash with view of
landing an army on the English Coast
and attempting to get through the AL
lied naval Gordon fleet of swift crui-
sers. On reaching the Atlantic these
would raise havoc with the Allied mer-
chant ships. In the next instalment he
will tell how he, himself, was sent to a
punishment camp at Wilhamsham and
how later he was transferred to Heligo-
land.)
By the Second-Lieut. Herman Hadler.
until recently an officer in the Ger
man Naval Station who HAS DESERT
ED and is now in Holland.)
Before many months the German
High Sea Fleet will come out. Ger
many's combined sea power will come
out with a fury, beside which the fury
with which her armies are now fighting
in the western front will pale. When
that day comes every available vessel
from the mine-laying submarine to the
dreadnaughts, will make one gigantic
dash. The fleet that sallies forth to
sea win be composed of every available
vessel that can float The object of
this desperate dash-which every Ger
man naval officer admits is a forelorn
hope-is to reach, first the Atlantic
Ocean, and then to spread all over tho
world in last desperate, ruthless cam
paign, that, should they succeed, will
make the submarine ruthlessness hither
to praeticed by our high command look
like child play.
Since the Jutland battle every dock
and shipbuilding plant at Wilhelmshav-
en-, Guxhaven, Bremenshaven and Kiel
have been intensly busy building, re-
pairing and overhauling vessels of war
for the purpose of making this coming
supreme dash to the open sea great
success and a victory.
Kiel Canal Guarded.
During the last three months before
/ left Heligoland the Kiel Canal was
being guarded, and no civilian was per-
mitted within two miles Of the entire
Length of the famous waterway. Every
available war vessel naval trans.
port has been transferred, through the
Kiel Canal to the three great naval bas
-Wilhelmshaven, Cuxhaven and Bre
menshaven. For six weeks our combin'
ed fleets went through repeated series
Of manauvres.
1t is not a secret from even the low
est grade of our naval officers that the
attempt to gain the open ocean has
two principal objects in view. While
the first object is to reach the Atlantic
Ocean, the other, and more sinister OBJ
ject, is to land an army on an English
coast. Where the landing will be is
only known to the highest naval OFFICERS
but the fact that there will be serious
attempt to land a huge army in Eng
land is no secret from the rest of us.
During the early days Of the month
of March two maneuvres were made in
which hundreds Of war vessels took part
in addition to 200 naval transports.
To Invade London.
On board the 200 naval transports an
army of 400, 900 picked troops with theil
light equipment and 5000 machine guns
were to be risked to make dash to the
English coast while the naval battle
ragged in the North Sea. 1t was reckon
ed that even if half of these nava
transports reached their objective and
successfully landed an army Of 100000
picked men at a certain English coast il
would quickly invade great tracks Of
land and within five days reach London
Behind these 200 naval transports more
than thirty other ships, loaded will
munitions and heavy artillery, were sta
toned. As / have already stated, the
maneuvers were repeated and in eacf
became evident that although it wal
possible to rush certain number Of
swift cruisers through the North Sef
and round the Scottish coast, even will
the most favorable turn Of the battl'
no more than five per cent Of the troop
and munition-landen naval transport
could reach the vicinity of the Englisl
coast.
How the Plan Fell Through.
1t was then decided that the 100000
men reaching the English Coast woult
not be q match against the defens'
bodies that could be brought by th'
English to any threatened point. Fol
that reason it was decided that th'
troop-ships as well as the munition
ships will be loaded and will await th'
turn of the coming North Sea battle
These will not be risled until in th'
Judgment of the higher command durint
certain period Of the coming battle i
would be profitable or wise to order th'
westward march Of the awaiting trans
ports.
~Ay G~ls &c aAA