Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-11-22
ENEMY NAVY BADLY
MAULED BY ALLIES

LONDON Nov. 2O.-(BritlSh Wire
less Service. Captain Persius, the
German naval critic, has chosen the
moment when the finest vessels of
the German navy are about to be
surrendered to the allies, to publish
in the Berlin Tageblatt a sensational
article containing revelations regard
ing the German fleet. Captain Per
Sius says the hope shat the German
fleet would be able in a second Ska
gerrak battle to beat the British fleet
rested upon the bluff and lies of the
naval authorities.
In August, 1914, Germany had
about 100000 tonnage in warships.
the writer points out, while Great
Britain had more than double that,
and, thanks to the mistakes of Won
Tirpitz, the German material was
quite inferior to the British. In the
Skagerrak battle. he declares. the
German fleet was saved from de-
Struction partly by good leadership
and partly by favorable weather con-
ditions. Had the weather been clear
or Admiral Won Scheer's 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, IL was clear to
every thinking man that the SkG-
gerrak battle must be the only gen.
eral 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
reichstag appealed to the army com
mand-not to the naval Staff-witn
hn hot nr1n To-, 4
terminal ting the construction of bat
tleships so the material might be
used for constructing U-boats. In
the meantime so great a scarcity OF
material had arisen IL became nee
essary to diSarm a 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 new
cruiser.
At the beginning of this year. Cap
tain PersiuS states, the German navy
consisted only of dreadnaughts ana
battleships of the Helgoland, Kaiser
and MRrkgraf types, and some few
battle cruisers. All the ships which
Won Tirpitz had constructed from
able millions, had been destroyed.
and the U-boats that had been con-
structed had proved unable to fight
against British warships.
Admiral Won Capelle, during his
period as head of the navy. says Cap
tain PersiuS, constructed very few
submarines of the large type, but in
official quarters it was stated Ger
many possessed an enormous num-
Der of U-boats and that the losses
were virtually NIL.
That was not true, the writer adj
mits. In 1917. he states. eighty-three
submarines were constructed. while
sixty-six were destroyed. In April
1917. Germany had 1876 submarines
and in October 146. In February
1918, she had 1876. and in June of the
same year 113. according to Captain
Persius' figures.
Only small percentage of these
submarines were actively operating
at any given time. Captain Persius
declares. In January, 1917. for in
stance, when conditions were favor
able for submarine work. only twelve
per cent were active VIII lie thirty
were in harbor. thirty-eight per
cent under reDairs and twenty per
cent "incapacitated."
Submarine crews. he saws, were
not sufficiently educated and trained
and they looked with distrust upon
the weapon. In the last months he
reveals. it was very difficult to get
men for submarine work. as eXDer-
fenced seamen looked upon the sub
marine warfare as political stupid
ity.
Captain Persius tells of the mutiny
that broke ont at the beginning of
this month when the German navy
was ordered out for attack. Had
the seamen obeved. the writer re-
marks. innumerable lives would have
been lost and he declares that every
thinking man. therefore. is of the
opinion that the scamen on Novem-
her rendered an Invaluable serv-
ice to their country"