The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1919-05-07
HUN NAVY CRAVEN
JELLICOE SHOWS
British Officer Surprised by Cau-
ton of Foe During First
of War.
GRAND FLEET IN DANGER
Short Of Cruisers, Destroyers and Had
DefenseIess Bases In Early Months
of Confilct-Deserlbes Big Bat
tie Of Jutland.

London.-The dangers to which the
British grand feet, short OF cruisers
destroyers and with defenseless bases,
was exposed during the first two and
one-half years of the war, owing to the
German use Of submarines, mines ana
torpedoes, is described in a book witt
ten by Admiral Viscount Jellicoe, FOR
mer commander of the fleet, covering
the activities of 1914-16.
Admiral Jellicoe points out that the
German high seas fleet possessed 90
destroyers, compared with AZ for the
grand fleet, and reveals that, owing TO
the submarine menace. the grand meet,
In the fall of 1914, moved from Lough
Swilly and only returned to the North
sea when the anchorage In Scapa FLOW
became reasonably safe.
Neither In October, 1914, nor in May,
1916, Admiral Jellicoe says, did the
British margin Of superiority JUSTIFY
him in disregarding the enemy's tor
pedo fire. The situation gradually I'M
proved after 1915, especially as the
light cruiser and destroyer forces with
the grand fleet increased steadily after
the battle of Jutland, considerably re-
ducing the danger Of successful tor
pedo attack, while the inclusion OF
class X submarines made 1t probable
that the enemy would suffer more
severely from submarine attack than
the British.
Tables Are Turned.
Regarding 1918. Admiral Jellicoe
says:
"The position was assured and we
could have afforded to take risks wnlcn
In 1915 would have been unwise. Ii
the German fleet had come out to bat
tie, a terrible punishment awaited
them"
One-third of the admiral's book is
devoted to the yhattle Of Jutland. In
summing up theglessons OF the Dattie'
Admiral Jellicoesdwells upon "the dan
ger involved in leaving too much TO
chance In fleet action, because our meet
was the one and only factor vital 10
the existence Of the empire, anu, III
deed, to the allied cause"
1--WE had no reserve outside the bat
tie fleet which could in any way re-
Mace II in the event of disaster or
even should its margin of superiority
be eliminated" the admiral continues.
Admiral Jellicoe says he knew that
his ships were inadequately protected
with armor compared to the German
vessels of the battle cruiser type,
while the German fleet In the battle
of Jutland was far better off In the
number of destroyers. In addition, the
Germans possessed "a most efi1cient
armor-pierclng SHE'LL"
Describes Big Battle.
The admiral continues:
"When the battle fleets approached
there was difference of reckoning
between the British battle fleet ana
the battle cruiser squadrons, due 10
the cruisers having been engaged Tor
several hours and having repeatedly
altered their course. Hence, instead or
being encountered right ahead, the enc
nv appeared on the starboard bow"
Instant action was necessary, the ad-
miral says, and he decided to depioy OH
the port wing division, thus compelling
the Germans to turn off to starboard to
avoid being crossed. This maneuVer'
which has been described as mastery
by reviewers, threw the enemy into
complete confusion. The German COIN
mander In chief realized that his only
hope lay in escape, profting by MS
superiority in torpedo craft, low visl-
bility, the approach Of darkness anu
the proximity Of his bases and mine
fields.
The enemy at this period fired hun
dreds of torpedoes, as German ofhcers
have since stated, Admiral Jellieoe con-
tinues, and although the Germans were
in the gravest peril, the position OF the
grand fleet itself was menaced by de-
termined torpedo attacks in thick
weather. But the British fleet by turn
ing its battle line four times during
the action, the admiral says, got clear
of the torpedoes, which were racing
toward the British ships, and defeated
the tactics upon which the Germans
based their hopes.
After estimating the relative strength
of the two fleets early in the war, Ad
miral Jellicoe expresses surprise tha'
the Germans were so cautious ant
says:
IF this country in the future de
cided to rely for safety against raids
or invasion on the feet alone, 1t Il
essential that we possess a consider
ably greater margin of superiority oVel
a possible enemy in all classes Of yes
cole than we did in August, 1914"