GERMAN APOLOGIES FOR ITS INACTIVITY

Gisborne Times, Volume XLV, Issue 3998, 3 August 1915, Page 5

GERMAN APOLOGIES FOR ITS INACTIVITY

ATTEMPT TO GLORIFY TIE submarine.

purely imaginary hqrtm sea triumphs.

STINGING RETORT BY BRITISH ¥\m LOUS.

LISBON OF GERMANY’S LOST COLONIES.

BRITAIN PROUD 8M HER CONSCIOUS MIGHT.

(United Press Association. —Copyright.)

LONDON, August 1. Count Reventlow, the German writer, has a review of the ir’s naval warfare in the “New York \Yorld, ’ justifying the

1 nmaii fleet’s apparent inactivity. He states that tlie German naval programme was not completed in 1914; moreover, when it was projected, it was not expected that Russia and Japan would be in alliance with Britain. Since the autumn half a dozen British submarines had been in the Baltic assisting the Russians, thus necessitating the sunioning uf a portion of the German fleet there. ' Germany had been suffering from a paucity of harbors. Whereas the British knew 1 we were in the Bay of Heligoland, oitr torpedoers bad no definite place to hunt the British. The British had decided upon a strategy of sorties, alternating with one of holdingback, and hoped thus to continuously weaken Germany without running serious risk but British strategy came to nought owing to German mines and submarines, which made the continuous stay of the British Main Fleet in the Youth Sea impossible. It had to content itself' with occasional sorties, and then returned to the Irish Sea or to the north of Scotland. Well-informed Germans had never based any hopes on cruisers in warfare. They knew that the forces were lacking to carry it out on a large scale. The glorious career of the Emden came to an end, and Von Spee’s squadron was destroyed by tremendously superior forces, but the glory which the German sea fighters had won constituted a lasting success, and always demonstrated that ship for ship they were superior to the English. The same thing was shown in the cruiser battle in the North Sea in January, when H.M.S. Tiger was sunk and H.M.S. Lion put out of action and all the other British cruisers heavily damaged. The Press Bureau issues Mr Balfour’s reply to Count Reventlow. He says he does not desire to belittle the courage and skill of the German sailors. Doubtless they have done all possible in the honorable warfare to which they are inclined ami the dishonorable warfare required of them by their superiors. . “The fact that the German fleet has avoided fighting is hardly a triumph,” he continues. “The exploit is well within the competence of the least efficient fleet and the least capable commander. The process of attrition of the British fleet, which Germany threatened, has not commenced as not a British ship has been either sunk or seriously damaged in a sea fight outside the Chilian affair. We did not lose a cockle boat on January 18. The naval equality which Germany desired is more remote now than it was a year ago.” “Apart from purely imaginary triumphs, Count Reventlow dwells with pride and satisfaction on the attack upon undefended Yorkshire towns. This exploit was as inglorious as it was immoral. Two or three fast cruisers crossed the North Sea by night and bombarded an open watering place and killed a number of civilians. “After an hour and a-half of this gallant performance, they retired safely to their own d=efended waters. “Nevertheless,” proceeds Mr Balfour, “it is better to invent stories like the sinking of the Tiger than to boast of such feats of arms as Scarborough. “Count Reventlow 7 s apology for the higher fled, only amounts to praise of German mines and submarines. The mines were scattered at random and were responsible for the destruction of much neutral shipping and some war vessels. . “In submarine fighting Germany introduced nothing except their employment against defenceless merchantmen and unarmed trawlers." This was certainly never foreseen by either Washington or London. It is purely German Mr Balfour says Count Reventlow is profoundly mistaken ,'f ] ie supposes these murderous methods affected economic life in England in the slightest degree. They only fixed an indelible stain on the fair name, of the German Navv. “The British Navy,” he proceeds, “has performed all the functions possible. There are no German commerce ships now on the ocean n.r,«d the Allied commerce is now more secure from attack thp;: Trafalgar. The German fleet is impotent and no invasbVrr ,rff Britain is possible or could even be attempted.” “p- . ; h troops, in a number unparalleled in historv. have movo;'fr,rf. r the seas and the fleet has secured supplies for these armies upon occasions, has assisted the armies’ operations. “Germany has seen her colonies wrested from her one by fjpe. while unable to land a man. or a gun for their defence. No (foot has ever done more and the citizens of the British Empire can only hope the second year of the war will show no falling off in its success, as it will assuredly show no relaxation in the navy’s efforts.”

GERMANY FROM WITHIN.

AUSTRALIAN MUNITIONMAKING.'

SERIOUS FOOD RIOTS

HIGH EXPLOSIVES COMPANY FORMED.

ANNIVERSARY OF THE WAR

AN IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENT.

AMSTERDAM, Aug. 1The textile factories in Westphalia to-morrow will be placed. under Govomment control. This is part of an. arrangement to ensure equal distribution of the available cotton among ‘German factories. The inhabitants of Prussia have been ordered to declare their possession of copper, brass, nickel, and even the minutest articles, in view of the confiscation.- The penalty for not disclosing is IO.OQO marks or six months. ... . The military authorities at Schowig have commanded that the anniversary of the outbreak of war be celebrated with thanksgiving services and house to house collections for the wounded and relatives of tile killed. Serious potato riots have occurred at Breslau and elsewhere, housewives beating tradesmen in protest against the high prices. ■. , p Subscriptions for the third German war loan will he invited in September.

('Received August 3, 1.30 a.m.) MELBOURNE. August 2. An important development in connection with shell-making is tho formation of a private company promoted by a number of leading men connected with the Broken Hill mines with a capital of £IOO,OOO in £1 shares to manufacture high explosives. The title of the company is the “Broken Hill Munitions Company, Limited.” Mr Delprat, of Broken Hill Proprietary Company fame, stated that the latest type of plant,, capable of making -50 high-explosive, shells an hour had already been ordered by tho new company, and they had cabled a firm in Now York in order to expedite delivery and had offered the contractor £IOO a week for ©very week he was ahead of contract time. Probably works will bo erected at Newcastle, in close proximity to the company’s works. It is. expected that foreign shCillmakors will foe imported- to teach. Australians. • .

* Thirteen hundred German newspapers have ceased publication since the war. Many are languishing.. Many German firms in China have changed their names and arc nosing as Americans, hoping to obtain 'tile, usual British supplies, < •:

The object of the company is to turn out 18-pounder shells anti as much other ammunition as the Government may require from t-imo to time.