The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-11-21
GERMAN DEFEAT ON
SEA LAID TO TIRPITz
Skagcrrak Battle Lost, Admits
Capt. Persius, by Ad-
miral's Blunders.
COULDN'T FIGHT AGAIN
Boast of Nays Prowess
Rested on Bluff and Lies,
Says Critic. 80.

LONDON, Nov. 20--Capt. Persius. the
German naval critic. has chosen the
moment when the fnest vessels Of the
German navy are about 10 be sur
rendered to the Allies to publish In the
Berlin Topebiatt sensational article
containing revelations regarding the
German feet. Capt Persius says the
able in second skHgerrak battle TO
beat the British feet rested upon the
bluT and lies OF the naval authorities
| In August, 1914. Germany had about
! 100000 tonnage in warships, the
writer points out. while Great Britain
had mere than double that, and thanks
| TO the mistakes OF Won Tirpits the Ger
| man material was quite inferior to the
/ British. In the SkAgerrak battle. he
declares, the German feet was saved
from destruction partly by good leader
ship and partly by favorable weather
conditions.
| i Had the weather been clear or Ad-
mlral Won Scheers leadership lees able
| the destruction of the whole German
navy would have resulted. The long
range British guns would have COM
pletely smashed the lighter armed Ger
man ships. As II was, the losses OF the
German feet were enormous, and on
June l, Capt. Fersius says. II was clear
to every thinking man that the Skager-
rak battle must be the only general
naval engagement of the war.
BattIeshfp Building stopped.
On all sides. continues the writer, Ad-
| miral Won Tirpitz was advised to con-
| struct only submarines but he remained
obstinate. On october (l9lb?) sew
efal members of the Reichstag made
an earnest appeal to the army COM
mand-not to the naval staff--with the
result that an order wae issued ter
minating the construction Of battleships
In order that the material might be
used for the making OF U-boats.
In the meantime so great a scarcity
OF material had arisen that II beca me
necessary to disarm a number of the
battleships and take the metal. In this
manner. at the beginning of 1915,
twenty-three battleships had been dis
armed. as well as one newly built
cruiser.
At the beginning Of this year. Capt
Persius says. the German navy consisted
why VI uredunOuknlS ana OIL
The Helgoland, Kaiser and Markgrai
types. and some few battle cruisers. All
the ships which Won Tirpitz had con-
structed from 1897 TO 1906 at a
cost Of innumerable millions had beer
destroyed and the U-boata that had beer
constructed had proved unable to nght
against British warships. o.. o.,
Admiral Won Capelie during his period
as head OF the navy, says Capt. Persius
constructed very few submarine .wori
! being continued only on the coistruc
tion Of submarines OF the large type. bu'
In Official quarters it was still stated
that Germany possessed an enormous
number of U-boats and that the losse,
were virtually nil.
supply Of submarines.
That was not true. the writer admits
In 1917. he states, IS submarines were
constructed while So were destroyed
In April. 1917. Germany had 1925 sub
marines and in October 146. In Febru
airy. 1918. she had 1876 and in June o.
the same year ia. according to Capt
Persiuss figures.
Only a small percentage OF these sub
marines were actively operating at an.
given time, Capt. Persius asserts. Il
January. 1917, for instance. when con
ditions were favorable for submarine
work. only IL per cent. were active Will
: 80 per cent. were In harbor. 3S per cent
under repairs and 20 per cent. Inca
pacitated."
Submarine crews, ne says were no
! sufficiently educated and trained an,
! they looked with distrust upon the wea
pom. In the last months, he reveals. 1
was very difficult to get men for sub
9 marine work. as experienced seamel
! looked upon the submarine warfare u
. political stupidity.
Capt. Persius tells Of the nutiny tina
broke out at the beginning OF this mont
when the German navy was ordered on
for attack. Had the seamen obeyed, tn
. writer remarks. innumerable lives woul
have been lost. and he declares tina
every thinking man therefore is OF tn
opinion that the seamen ofVNovember
: rendered an invaluable service to thei
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