The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-07-05
German Coast Is Mined
Shallow Waters, Too, Would Hinder an Invading
Fleet.
From Answers, London.

Shallow Waters, Too, Would Hinder an Invading
Fleet.
From Answers, London.
Those who are fond Of asking what the navy
is doing frequently demand to know why the
fleet does not at least lombard the German
coast
of the German North Sea Coast from British
raids.
In the first place, the coast from the Dutch
border to the mouth of the Weser and Ebe is
comparatively short, and some two-thtrds Of it
does not consist Of the mainland, but chain
Of islands some distance out, with narrow chan
ne1s between. Further, with or two excep-
tions, these islands are sparsey settled with no
towns of Importance so that even If shelled by
long range fire, little damage would be done
certainly not sufficient to have an influence on
the
In Shallow Waters
Emden and Wfhelmshafen are situated far
from the open sea, up shallow and tortuous
channels within easy range Of the land. good
map also shows that the waters along this coast
extremely shallow and full Of sandbanks,
that big ships would have. to lie long way
out, only small ones with guns of low calibre
could be used.
Nor must the mine fields be forgotten. An
attacking fleet would be fighting in front Of
would be taken at double disadvantage-tr
rather, for the danger from gun fire and mines
would be added that Of running aground.
4 The mouths Of the Weser and Elbe full
Of sandbanks and shoals, and no doubt the Ger
mans have set the buoys to deceive an invader.
Far out at sea stands the sentinel Of Helgo-
land armed with guns great and small.
Yet Helgoland is only Of many defenses
In the west Of Friesland, at the mouth of the
Ems, is Ernden, very strongly fortified, nest
Of torpedo craft.
Two Big Naval Bases.
A canal joins the Ems with Wilhelmshafen,
this and Keil being the two. most important
German naval bases. The approach to Wilhelms-
hafen, which is Of quite modern growth, is not
easy to navigate, and locks give entrance to the
harbor and dock yard, which has turned out
Of the biggest ships in the kaisers fleet.
Continuing along, the next strong point is
Bremerhafen, a big shipbuilding center, pro-
tected by modern forts, though not so strongly
defended of the Others and some dis
lance to the north, right at the estuary Of the
Elbe is Cuxhafen, which the famous Christ
mas air attack was made.
Torpedo, airplane, and Zeppelin headquarters,
and very strongly fortified 1t forms an import
ant link in the coast Notifications.
The kiel Canal.
In conjunction with BrunsbuetteI, higher up
the opposite shore, 1t denies entrance to
the Ebe, should any raider have intentions on
Hamburg. provided he could get so far. Shoals
and sand banks form natural defenses, and the
only channels commanded by its guns so
it provides almost tnnpregnable defenses for the
Kiel Canal, whose lock gates at the second
named place.
Continuing along the North Tristan coast to
the Danish border, the same conditions are met
An attempt to force the Baltic would be just
much forlorn hope. for even If mine sweep
ers could open the channel under the supporting
guns Of a strong fleet, heavy losses would be In
fltcted and having entered it would not be
so easy to get out.