Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-12-02
Persius Lays Bare
German Navy Bluff

London. - Captain Persius, the
German naval critic, chose the mo-
ment when the finest vessels of the
German navy were to be surrendered
to the Allies to publish in the Berlin
Tageb'att an article containing reve-
lations regarding the German fleet.
Captain Persius says the hope that
the German fleet would be able in
Il second Skagerrak battle to beat
the British fleet rested upon the bluff
and lies of the naval authorities.
In August 1914, Germany had
about one million tonnage in war
ships, he says, while Great Britain
had more than double that, and,
thanks to the mistakes of Won Tir-
pitt, the German material was quite
inferior to the British. In the Ska
gerrak battle, he declares the Ger
man fleet was saved from destruc-
ton party by good leadership and
partly by favorable weather condi-
tions. Had the weather been clear
or Admiral Won SCheers leadership
less able, the destruction of the
whole German navy would have re-
suited. The long-range British guns
would have completely smashed the
lighter-armed German ships. AS it
was, the losses of the German fleet
were enormous, and on June /. Cap
tain Persius says, it was clear TO
every thinking man that the Skager-
rak battle must be the only general
naval engagement of the war.
On all sides. continues the writer,
Admiral Won Tirpitz was advised to
construct only submarines. but he
remained obstinate. On October !,
1915, several members of the Reichs-
tag made an earnest appeal to the
army commandment to the naval
staff-with the result that an order
was issued terminating the construc-
ton of battleships in order that the
material might be used for the maxi
ing of U-boats. In the meantime so
great a scarcity of material had
arisen that it became necessary to
disarm number of the battleships
and take the metal. In this manner,
at the beginning of 1916, twenty
three battleships had been disarmed,
as well as one newly built cruiser.
~ NlAN DNSii'hiitn VI AlAlo NOell SAbN
tain Persius states, the German navy
consisted only of dreadnaughts and
! battlcships of the Helgoland Kaiser
and Markgraf types. and some few
| battle. cruisers. All the ships which
! Won Tirpitz had constructed from
! 1897 to 1906 at a cost of innumera-
bic millions had been destroyed, and
the U-bCats that had been construct
ed had proved unable to fight against
British warships.
Admiral Won CaEelle during his
period as head of the navy, says Cap
tain Persius, constructed very few
submarines, work being continued
only on the construction of subma-
rines of the large type, but in official
quarters it was still stated that Ger
Imany possessed an enormous num-
ber of U-boatS, and that the losses
were virtually nil.
That was not true, the writer ad-
mits. In 1917, he Staes, eighty
three submarines were constructed
while siXty-siX We're destroyed. In
April, 1917, Germany had 1876 subma-
rines and in October 146. In Febru,
ary, 1918. she had 1876, and in June
of the same year ll3, according tC
Captain Persius figures.
Only u small percentage of these
submarines were actively operating
at any given time, Captain Persiu'
declares In January, 1917, for in
stance, when conditions were favora'
BILE for submarine work. only II pei
cent. were active, while 80 per cent
were in harbor, 3S per cent, were
under repairs, and 90 per cent. were
) 'incapacitated." Submarine crews
he says, We're not sufficiently educat
+ ed and trained, and they looked will
E distrust upon the weapon. In tht
last months, he reveals, it was Yer!
difficult to get men for submarine
work, as experienced seamen looked
upon the submarine warfare as po
litical stupidity.
Captain Persius tells of the mutin!
that broke out at the beginning o
November, when the Germany nav!
was ordered out for attack. Had thu
seamen obeyed, the writer remarks
innumerable lives would have beer
lost. and he declared that ever!
, thinking man. therefore, is of tn,
opinion that the seamen on Novem
, ber rendered an invaluable servic,
, to their country"