Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-08

much prefer not to enter into
purely theoretical considerations.
Neither do care to speak of things that have
become we'll known since the war. and which
might easily come to be regarded as part of the
wisdom that is displayed after the event.
would rather dwell briefly upon positive facts
only, things which I myself in the lived,
felt and experienced, If I may put it so, with
my own body.
I had already, some years before the out
break of the struggle, given up the command
of the German high seas fleet. This post was,
therefore, otherwise occupied. Thus it hap
pened that at the outbreak of the war re-
ceived from the Emperor the supreme command
of Germany's naval forces in the Baltic
1t is true that the theater of operations in
the North Sea, because the chief enemy was
Great Britain, comprised beyond all doubt the
most important. At the same time the Baltic
Sea did play very important part, and that
for more than one reason. In the first place,
the Baltic had to remain absolutely in German
hands. Only thus could our communications
with Sweden, from which came our ore for the
manufacture of munitions be maintained I'M
hampered In the next place. all unity of
ton between Britain and Russia through the
medium of the Baltic must be prevented
Finally, Russia, whose feet was far more pow
erful than the few ships. all told that could
be allotted to me, had to be held in check
absolutely.
From these motives, Immediately after the
war became an accomplished fact, had mines
laid for quite distance right into the interior
of the Russian waters. I caused mines to be
stTewn thickly in the Russian war port Of
Libau, well as before the entrance to the
Finnish Gulf.
WHILE this task proceeded, German cruis-
t'N ers maintained their watch unbroken
upon the most advanced posts. They continued
in closest possible touch with the movements
Of the Russians. AS early as August of 1914
three dashes into the Finnish Gulf were under
taken. In the course of these adventures to-
ward the end of August during a thick fog,
and, during the night my swiftest and newest
small cruiser, H. M. S. Mageburg, ran aground.
The crew was rescued by a German torpedo
boat and the ship itself was blown up. Still,
there was serious danger that the Russians
might now pluck up courage. make a dash on
their own account and even assume the often
sive I, accordingly, requested that some ships
be dispatched to the Baltic from the North
Sea. transferred my own flag to the Butcher
and myself led raid to the Finnish Gulf. My
purpose was to lure the Russians out, to cut
them of from their base and then destroy
them. But the Russians proved unfortunately
too far-sighted and they fed home at the top
Of their speed.
Our naval base in the year 1914 was Kiel
and Swinemunde still, even for this Baltic cam
paign In the year 1915 was able to transfer
the base of my operations to Danzig first and
later to Libau. This Russian war port of Lbau
was, on May z, 1915, captured by the united
action Of our navy and our land forces. After
that victory Libau remained our chief base OF
operations in the Baltic. From this stepping
stone set out against Riga, and in the year
1917 we took the isles of Oesel and Dago from
the Russians. In the end. therefore, we had
the Russians, where the Baltic concerned
pent up within the Finnish Gulf. There they