Evening star., 1939-12-14
Small Deutschland
Toll Indicates
Relentless Hunt
British Crippled,
However, by Lack Of
Superior Ships
BY MAI. GEORGE FIELDING
by MAI. GEORGE FIELDING
ELIOT.


ELIOT.
Reports are current that British
varships have been sighted off the
Finnish port of Petsamo, and they
are stated to be in these northern
waters in search Of the elusive Ger
man sea raider Deutschland, which
presumably is trying to get into the
nearby Russian harbor of Muir
mansk, already the refuge for many
German merchant ships. This seems
little unlikely on the face of it.
The Deutschland is too valuable a
ship to risk in such way-by send
ing her into an area where she has
; but one possible haven and thus
almost automatically insuring her
being blockaded therein by superior
forces.
But 1t is curious that, having been
at sea as long as she has, she has
done so little damage-or, at any
rate, so little that has been re-
ported. The very small toll of Ship
ping which has fallen to the
Deutschland seems to indicate that
the search for her has been both
sklllful and relentless, giving her
commander something to worry
about besides attacks on British sea
lanes.
In particular is to be noted the
1act that there is no report of the
Deutschland attacking convoy,
though the convoy system is now in
1uH operation, protecting shipping
approaching the British Isles. The
convoy system, as the last war
showed, is the answer to the SUBJ
marine. The Deutschland and her
two sisters, in fact, all the heavy
surface ships of the German NAVY
now IN commission, were designed
as breakers-up of convoys-superior
IN hghtlng qualities to British cruis-
ers, superior in speed to British
capital ships, with three exceptions
But the Deutschland has been long
at sea, and there is no word of her
raiding a convoy.
History Governs British Nayv.
In attempting to assess any situa-
- ton in which the British Navy is
involved, one ought always to ex-
anime the pages OF its history. 1t
Is an organization which tends to
60 by precedent and traditions. A
method which it has once found
good it does not really abandon,
even though times may change and
with them the technique and char
acter of warfare.
An ananologous situation to the
present may be found in the War
OF 1872, when the British discovered
that their frigates had no chance in
slngle-ship actions with the heavy
American AS. while the latter could
run away from ships of the line
The AS - Constitution, United
States, President-were the pocket
battleships of their day. The British
mad to maintain their invaluable
West Indian trade and they had to
undertake blockade of the Ameri-
can coast. They solved their prob
lem by attaching ship of the line
70 each convoy escort and to each
blockading squadron, which severe
~ cramped the style of Decatur,
Hull. Bainbridge and their merry
men. Indeed. this order resulted in
the capture of the President, it pro-
tected the West Indian convoys
throughout the war and it clamped
down an air-tight blockade from
Maine to Georgia.
Had Many Ships Then.
put ", 1910 %Lo D,;4;.l>
OF the line and to spare-literall,
scores Of them. Today they have
not. After the loss of Royal Oak
IA capital ships remain on the Brit.
, ish Navy list. OF these, three art
= IN the Mediterranean and two
Queen Elizabeth and Valiant) are
undergoing major reconstruction
and will not be ready for sea before
next year. That leaves nine avail.
able for duty in the Atlantic-the
Two big Nelson's, four of the roya
sovereign class, and the three fas
battle cruisers.
Some of these ships are undoubt.
edly being used to protect major
conveys in the North Atlantic. MOI
all OF them can be so employed al
once. There is the necessity fol
periodical overhaul and Of rest fol
the crews and there is the need fo1
q solid backing of armored ship.
for the blockading forces in thu
North Sea, lest the remaining Ger.
man battleships Gncluding the 26,-
000-ton Scharnhorst and Gneise.
naW come out and do irreparablt
damage. The strain of this double
task-protecting conveys and main
tanning the blockade-is certainly
a severe one for a force of only
nine capital ships, especially AS one
or more of the battle cruisers ought
always be available to rush to any
point where one of the German
raiders may be reported.
But the search for the riders doe.
not have to be carried on by ths
battle cruisers alone. Other type.
cruisers, destroyers, aircraft work
ing from carriers or shore bases->
can help. And this is the sort O
thing the British Navy understands
4 For centuries it has had to dea
with the "guerre de course'-witl
attack on British sea trade eve
the resort of opposing navies which
cannot fight the British fleet in lin'
Of battle.
Aided by Speed.
The earliest British maneuver
under steam included search prob
lems," and now that high speed
the radio and the airplane has com
to aid the searchers, the. Britisl
should be very good at this sort o
thing.
They also have obtained and Off
cially acknowledged the aid of tn
French Navy, whose officers, in pro
fessional qualities, stands very high
The French Atlantic fleet include
not only two fast battleships cap
able of bringing the Deutschland t
action, but squadron of super
deStrOyerS'-shipS of about $50