Archibald Hurd

“ The survey of British naval policy in the years immediately preceding the war would be incomplete were no reference made to the fact, of which we were insistently reminded when hostilities opened, that sea power, even more than military power, must stand defeated from the very outset, unless it is supplemented by economic power. In the past the weakness of all democracies when faced by war has been apparent. However great the power on the sea, however formidable the military arm ashore, the real strength of a people lies in itself. ”

“ Thus at the moment of severest strain—the outbreak of war—traders recognised that in carrying on their normal trading operations overseas they had behind them the wholehearted support of the British Government, the power of a supreme fleet, and the guarantee of all the accumulated wealth of the richest country in the world. ”

“ The Navy must always be the lifeline of the Expeditionary Force, ensuring to it reinforcements, stores, and everything necessary to enable it to carry out its high purpose. That the Admiralty, with the approval of Admiral Sir John Jellicoe, felt itself justified in giving the military authorities a certificate of safe transport before the command of the sea had been secured indicated high confidence that when the German fleet did come forth to accept battle the issue would be in no doubt, though victory might have to be purchased at a high price. ”

“ German Naval Bases KIEL
Kiel, in spite of the growing importance of Wilhelmshaven, still retains its position as Germany’s premier “Reichskriegshafen,” or Imperial War Port. Its superb harbour, and the international regatta, known as the “Kieler Woche,” which is held each June, have made Kiel one of the best known ports of Europe. This year’s regatta, it will be remembered, was rendered memorable by the presence of the British Second Battle Squadron and some of our light cruisers. The Imperial Dockyard at Kiel is said to be one of the best-equipped establishments of its kind in the world. ”

“ Eight small cruisers laid down under the “Minor Programme” were building, two of them in a German yard, and the remainder in Russia, and there was besides a large flotilla of torpedo craft under construction. With all these vessels in commission, the Russian Navy would have become once more a factor to be reckoned with. As it happened, Russia faced the war practically without any considerable sea power.
When hostilities had begun, a dramatic incident reminded the world that Japan, the ally of Great Britain in the Far East, was not viewing the course of events unconcerned. ”

“ When war occurred the British sea power was predominant in all the outer seas in contrast with every other Power engaged in hostilities. At every point the British fleet was supreme in contrast with every other Power now engaged in hostilities. Austria and Italy were hardly represented outside the Mediterranean; Germany had only one armoured ship and two small cruisers in the Mediterranean and a few small cruisers in the Atlantic; in the Pacific, though she had the largest squadron of any Continental Power, the Admiralty regarded our forces as being at least twice as strong. ”

“ Most men found it impossible to believe that any Power could hope to challenge the naval supremacy which had been won at such great sacrifice at the Battle of Trafalgar, and which the British people had continued to enjoy virtually without challenge throughout the nineteenth century. ”

“ Armed forces which have not behind them a resolute community are robbed of more than half their power. A feeling of panic is always apt to infect a democracy, and then under the palsy of fear the tendency is for pressure to be brought to bear on the supreme naval and military authorities, with the result that strategic plans, matured in peace, become confused and ineffective. An illustration of the influence of the fears of the civil population upon war policy was furnished during the Spanish-American War. ”

“ Luncheons, dinners, and receptions filled the days over which the yacht racing extended, and when Sir George Warrender steamed out of Kiel to meet at a rendezvous at sea the British squadron, under Rear-Admiral Sir David Beatty, which had been visiting the Baltic ports of Russia, and the other squadrons which had been entertained by the peoples of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, every indication encouraged the belief that peace was more completely assured than at any time during this century. ”

“ A democracy in a state of panic cannot make war. The carefully-laid scheme miscarried. Never was a nation more self-possessed. It had faith in its Fleet.
In the history of sea power, there is nothing comparable with the strangulation of German oversea shipping in all the seas of the world. It followed almost instantly on the declaration of war. There were over 2,000 German steamers, of nearly 5,000,000 tons gross, afloat when hostilities opened. The German sailing ships—mostly of small size—numbered 2,700. These vessels were distributed over the seas far and wide. ”

“ When war came not only were the main fleets not tied to our shores, but every department of State had before it a complete plan of the duty which it had to perform in order to give that national support to the fleet, without which it could not hope to achieve victory. ”

“ The German navy, as is well known, was founded as a branch of the army, and its early development proceeded on distinctly military lines. Until the present Emperor came to the Throne the head of the Admiralty was always an army officer, and it followed that, in so far as the different conditions permitted, the strategy and tactics of the fleet were brought into line with those of the land forces. Ships were regarded primarily as units for coast defence, in the most limited sense of the word. ”

“ Discipline is good, but not so strict as in the German Navy. The officers are, as a rule, men of high scientific attainments and very keen on their work.
RUSSIA.—The Russian Navy is manned almost exclusively by conscripts, who serve for five years afloat. Although his education generally leaves much to be desired, the Russian sailor has many excellent qualities. He is obedient, courageous, and never gets into a panic. Since the disastrous war with Japan, the Navy has been purged of many of the elements which impaired efficiency. The officers are now capable and zealous. ”

“ During the present war it is probable that Emden is being used both as a mine and torpedo base. It relies for its defence on the batteries at Borkum, some miles out at sea, as ships entering the River Ems are compelled to pass close to this island.
The railway connections of Emden are very good, so good, in fact, that they are believed to have been dictated by strategical considerations. Emden has often been spoken of by German writers as a sally port, and as a convenient point of assembly and embarkation for an army of invasion. ”

“ During the years which immediately preceded war the Committee of Imperial Defence was quietly at work co-ordinating the naval and military arms, and laying the foundation of a wide-spreading organisation. On July 25th, 1912, Mr. Asquith, in a speech in the House of Commons, gave the nation some conception of the character of one aspect of the work which was then being quietly performed by this small body, unrecognised by our Constitution, and regarded, as it had been since its birth, with no little suspicion and distrust. ”

“ The high strategical importance of Heligoland is self-evident. Its position, some thirty-five miles from the mainland, is that of a strong outpost, defending the estuaries of the Elbe and Weser. A flotilla of destroyers or submarines based on the island could make things very uncomfortable for a fleet endeavouring to blockade the German coast, and it was the recognition of this fact which led to the construction of the new torpedo harbour. ”

“ The Majestic class is the oldest group of battleships in the Navy. The displacement is 14,900 tons, length 390 ft. and engines of 12,000 h.p. give them a maximum speed of 171⁄2 knots. They are armed with four 12-in., twelve 6-in., and sixteen 12-pounder guns of old type, with five torpedo tubes. The armour belt is 9-in. amidships, and there is 14-in. armour on the [72] big gun turrets. Coal to the amount of 1,900 tons can be stowed. A complement of 750 officers and men is carried. The ships cost slightly more than £900,000 each to build and complete. ”

“ No battleship building abroad carried more than four big guns; the “Dreadnought” had ten big guns, and her swift consorts eight. [3] Thus was the work of rebuilding the British Fleet initiated. Destroyers of a new type were placed in hand, and redoubled progress was made in the construction of submarines, which Lord Fisher was the first to realise were essential to this country, and were capable of immense development as offensive engines of warfare. We gained a lead of eighteen months over other Powers by the determined policy adopted. ”

“ Although Italian is the mother tongue of the majority, German is the official language of the Navy. All-round efficiency is maintained on a high level. The officers are men of excellent education, wide knowledge, and unlimited zeal.
JAPAN.—The Japanese Navy is principally manned on a compulsory basis, the term of active [150] service being three years. The men are excellent in every way, smart, intelligent, resourceful, and amenable to discipline. They display a wonderful aptitude for manipulating the complex mechanism of a modern warship, as was proved in the campaign against Russia. ”

“ No service is efficient for war in which there exists a rankling feeling of injustice. The rates of pay of officers and men were revised and increased; facilities were opened up for men of the lower deck to reach commissioned rank. About 20,000 officers and men were added to the active service of the Fleet. At the same time with the ships provided by former Boards, the organisation of the ships in Home waters was placed on a higher standard of efficiency, particular attention being devoted to the organisation of the older ships so as to keep them efficient for war. ”

“ Should German warships, which we may assume are spread about in the various anchorages already referred to, make a dart to sea, especially at night-time, there is every probability of some of them stranding on the numberless flats and shoals which extend for many miles seaward from the low-lying shore of Germany. ”

“ German naval authorities, of course, realised the geographical disadvantages of Kiel years ago, and, in an attempt to remedy the evil, widened and deepened the Kiel Canal.
The Elbe entrance of the canal, which is situated at Brunsbüttel, is some seventeen miles from Cuxhaven, which, as is well known, is the [163] Gravesend of Hamburg. The channels between Brunsbüttel and Cuxhaven, which are very narrow, have a sufficient depth at low water for vessels of a moderate draught, and the anchorage room, except for ships drawing but a few feet of water, is somewhat limited. ”

“ From Kiel Bay to the North Sea a vessel has, according to her draught of water, the choice of three routes into the Kattegat, viz., Little Belt, Great Belt and the Sound. The first-named could only be used by small light draught vessels, [162] such as destroyers and submarines. The passage through the Great Belt, and also that via the Sound, would have to be navigated by a heavy battleship on a favourable state of the tide. The least width across the Little Belt is abreast of the town of Fredericia, in Denmark, where the passage is less than three-quarters of a mile wide. ”

“ This total includes cadets and boys under training, and approximately 200,000, it may be assumed, were available for service in the Home Fleets and the squadrons in distant seas. It is an axiom that in peace we have more ships than we can man, while in war we shall have a good surplus of men after manning all the ships. When passing from a peace to a war footing, Royal Fleet reservists—well-trained men with from five to seven years’ [140] service—and others became available and the Fleet was fully mobilised, having no inconsiderable surplus to make good the casualties of battle. ”

“ We consider it highly important and necessary in the present situation to take measures to remove the causes of all disturbance of peace in the Far East, and to safeguard general interests as contemplated in the Agreement of Alliance between Japan and Great Britain. ”

“ Two of the Dreadnoughts were began at Portsmouth and Devonport Dockyards in the following November, and the contracts for the remaining four were not placed until the spring, for the simple reason that the delivery of the new guns and mountings and their equipment could not be secured for the vessels, even if their hulls were started without a moment’s delay. Thus we obtained six battleships which are still unique; in no other Navy is so powerful a gun to be found to-day as the British 13·5-inch weapon. ”

“ There are in addition some special anti-aerocraft guns. Four submerged torpedo tubes are fitted.
The maximum thickness of the armour belt is 12-in., but great attention has been paid to the protection of the guns and other important positions. The fuel capacity reaches the enormous figure of 4,300 tons, which includes about [107] 1,000 tons of oil. The turbines are of a new pattern, designed to work up to 63,000 shaft horse-power, giving a speed of 261⁄2 knots; but there is every reason to suppose this figure will be exceeded in service.
A peculiarity is the straight stem, no ram being fitted. ”

“ In 1910 and in 1911 Mr. McKenna again fought for national safety, and he won the essential provision for the Fleet. He risked his all in defence of our sea [29] power. He was probably during those years of struggle the most unpopular Minister the Liberal Party ever had. What has been the sequel of his tenacity and courage and patriotism? What has been gained owing to the bold front which Lord Fisher presented, as First Sea Lord, supported by his colleagues? ”

“ The armament comprises twelve 11-in., twelve 5·9-in., sixteen 21-pounders, and six submerged torpedo tubes. Owing to the disposition of the four broadside turrets only eight of the big guns can be used on one broadside, so that the ships, in spite of their more numerous armament, can train only the same number of heavy guns on the beam as the British Dreadnought. So much room is taken up by the gun positions and their magazines, &c., that space between decks is very limited, and the officers and men can scarcely be accommodated. ”