Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1921-02-22
GERMAN DEFENDS NAVY.
Admiral Won Tirpitz Says Floating
Craft Won World War.

Craft Won World War.
Battleships won the world war and
will win future wars, in the opinion OF
Admiral Won Tirpitz, at one time head
of the German fleet and minister of
the navy. during the critical period of
the historic struggle, relates ST. Bla-
+ien, Baden, Germany dispatch. He
reaffirmed his faith in: above-water
craft during an interview here and de-
clared that strangely enough, owing
to the peculiarities Of the war. the
submarine had been given greater ira-
portance than was warranted by the
facts.
England. Japan and the United
States recognized the fact, he said,
fiat in the world struggle for supre-
macy outside Of Europe. and forces
would be secondary He asserted
such a struggle must necessarily be
one of sea supremacy. but added that
tho sort Of maritime forces to, be con-
structed in the light of The experience
Of the latest war, was a great open
question.
There was no decisive action be-.
tween opposing fleets during the world
war;" he said, because, in .miscon
ceiving the political situation and
noorly assessing the inherent power
of the German fleet, the Berlin gov
ernment did not risk it during the de-
cisive first years Of the conflict. When
the favorable time for naval action
was past, England had to suffer di-
rectly only from German submarines.
Against them she had no preparation.
In reality, the war so far as the
sea was concerned, was won by the
English high sea fleet, and, the ver-
dict could have been reversed only
through battleshlps."
Admiral van .Firpitz said he had
little patience with the controversy
now raging in England over the sub
marne and the surface warship, and
declared it was largely due to a lack
Of information among many disputants
a conflict Of personal interests, and
desire on the part of the English cab
met to keep the public ignirant of the
real official views"
while submarine engines had be-
come somewhat stronger and the boats
somewhat more enduring, said the ad-
miral "the Germans, in the main, car
ried on their submarine campaign for
years with virtually the same craft
they perfectly in 1913. Further devel-
opment of the submarine will be much
hampered until an efficient and uni
form motor can be developed for trav-
cling above and below the surfaces
After this is solved there will be a
question whether a vessel fitted for un-
derwater travelling can. in the long
run, compete in general performance
nth q surface vessel I believe the
ship constructor will think the surface
ship will always show q better general
performance"
The necessity for greater protec-
ton Of submarines against torpcdoss
and the superiority Of artillery fire
through the air as contrasted with at
tacks under water was discussed by
the admiral, who added
"If the artillery projectile maintains
it's superiority among naval arms. in
spite of the torpedo, one cannot see
why battleships and smaller vessels
should become obsolete all at once"
The construction and numerical
proportion of the submarine arm Of
the service" he continued will change
with technical progress, but at pres
ent there is no reason whatever to
consider the batteship out Of date as
concentration of power on the water.
The submarine has merely been added
10 the older naval forces, and will be!
found in all navies in greater numbers
In the same way counter devices in:
vented during the war will be perfect
ed. but changes will be more gradual
than the fanatical protagonists Of the
submarine expect.
There are fools in my country who
rcproach me with not having built
hundreds of submarine at the outbreak
Of the war at the expense Of battle
ship construction. These people for
eet that, although Robert Fulton built
submarine more athan 100 years AFRO
and get great hopes upon it as Il wea
non foI, firhtipo ENGLAND technicol
progress hal not gone so far as to
provide an effective long range boat
ut the opening of the conflict. OF long
range boats, which alone mattercd
and which will matter even more in
the future. Germany owned. rs regards
quantity and quality. more than the
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