New-York tribune., 1921-02-03
BaHleships in I0I6-and 1921

Editor of The Tribune.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: Having noted the many opin-
ions in your columns concerning future
designs of naval vessels, l wish to
bring to your attention the opinion
of one man who was probably, above
all others, competent to form a cor
rect judgment.
The German navy, knowing that it
could not hope to equal the British
navy in numbers of large ships, de-
voted considerable part of its energy
toward the development of smaller
iaries to their capital ships.
In accordance with this principle the
German navy developed rigid dirigibles
to state which has not yet been
equaled by any other power and used
them extensively during the war for
bombarding English cities and for op-
erations with the fleet.
The Germans also paid particular at
tention TO the development of fighting
seaplanes, and thus were able to main
the war, the control Of the air off the
Belgian coast.
The Germans also, as is we'll known,
developed the best submarines and the
most effective submarine tactics. Their
submarines were used, it is true, most
ly against merchant vessels; but dur
ing the entire year of 1916 a large
proportion OF their total available sub
marines was employed for operations
under the direct orders of the COM
mander in chief of the High Seas Feet.
While the submarines were never used
Immediately with the feet, they were
operated in cooperation with the fleet
on at least three occasions in 1916.
On the first two occasions, that is, on
April "a and May 31--they were sta
toned off English ports with the OBJ
jcct of attacking naval vessels enter
ing and leaving port, and of laying
mines off the ports. On, the third oc-
casion-that is, on August 19, 1916
they were used to form definite lines
in advance and on the faAks of the
fleet, and in this operation they sue
ceeded in sinking two British light
cruisers.
The Germans also devoted much at
tention to the development of their
destroyers and of destroyer tactics in
| fleet actions. 1t is well known that
| 1t was due to the effective work of
these destroyers that the Germans
were enabled to break away from the
enemy successfully at very critical
point of the Battle of Jutland.
The commander in chief of the Higi
Seas Fleet therefore was in position
to know the values of rigid dirigibles
seaplanes, submarines and destroyers
relative to capital ships, during tn,
| World War. In an official report 0,
the Battle of Jutland, prepared by Nd
miral Scheer on July q, 1915, and sent
secretly to the German Admiralty, th,
| opinion of the commander in chief O
the High Seas Fleet is stated as fol.
lows:
/ The battle has proved that in build
ing up our fleet and in the development
Of the individual types Of our ships W
have been guided by correct strategica
and tactical views and that VIE shoule
! therefore continue on the same lines.
4 All arms have borne their share Il
this result; the decisive factor was
however, both directly and indirectl,
the long range heavy armament Of tn
larger vessels. Is caused the create
part of the known losses inflicted 81
the enemy and II enabled the flotilla
TO carry cut successful attack agains
the enemy's main haet. The above oh
servhtion In no way dctracts from tn
/ merit of the fiotiilas, whose attack d
the efieny battle heet was finaliy sue
cessful in enabling us 10 break ava
cpmplesely from the enemy.
] Srhs large war vesaal. hattlsahip an
cruissrs n and remains, therefore, iii