Memories are proverbially short, and, because of that fact, the German propaganda machine is hoping to secure some sort of moral effect upon the minds of the Allies by making much of their prowess against the British Navy, the sinking of the Courageous and the Royal Oak, and the completely untruthful claims to other, and bigger successes. The loss of those two vessels is undeniably serious, but neither disastrous nor catastrophe ie. Both of them were old ships, one a cruiser converted into an aircraft carrier, and Royal Oak a reconditioned ship which saw service in the last war, and would probably have gone to the yards in a short while had not war broken out. It must be borne in mind that no modern vessel has as yet been lost, and that the Grand Fleet, consisting of the latest vessels, to which two new battleships will shortly be added as well as other craft, is still in being and undamaged. Some criticism has been levelled against the British naval command because it was possible for a German submarine to enter Scapa Flow and dispose of the Royal Oak. The feat was very gallantly and skilfully performed, but without attempting in any way to minimize that fact, it should be pointed out that similar feats were performed by British submarines during the last war, and notably by the vessels of the E-class which repeatedly navigated the mined, and boomed, restricted waters of the Dardanelles doing considerable damage to the Turkish shipping in the Bosphorous, feats in which the present Admiral Sir Martin E. Dunbar-Nasmith v.c., so highly distinguished himself. There is consequently nothing in the performance of the commander of the German submarine which was not anticipated by British performances almost a quarter of a century ago, and to read anything particularly significant into, the affair is to deny the teaching to be derived from the history of the last war. That the German feat is spectacular because the submarine succeeded in penetrating the base of the Grand Fleet is admitted, but it is to be doubted whether he or others will succeed in repeating the raid.
It is necessary, especially in times such as these, to do everything possible to keep things in their proper perspective. The loss of the two British vessels, within six weeks of the outbreak of war, undoubtedly does appear, to those who cannot cast their minds back to what happened twenty-five years ago, something very alarming. Yet in the first six weeks of the last war no fewer than five important British vessels were lost through enemy mines or submarines Amphion, August 5; Pathfinder, September 5; Aboukir, Hague and Cressy, September 22. To extend the period a little further that formidable list is swelled by the loss of Audacious, Hawke, Formidable, King Edward, Good Hope, Monmouth, Glasgow and others. Taking the six-week-period for present purposes, it will be realized that the action of the enemy submarines, then, proved far more deadly against the British fleet than it has in this present campaign, and again it is important to remember that the activities of the German submarines in 1914 was so effective that within three months of the outbreak of the war the Grand Fleet was forced for a time to abandon Scapa Flow, and base itself on Lough Swilly, on the north coast of Ireland, a very considerable distance away from the scene of its major operations, the North Sea. Comparing the state of affairs now with what they were then it is perfectly clear that those Cassandras and Jeremiaos who find in recent happenings only the auguries of possible defeat have nothing upon which to base their dismal findings. Casualties have to be suffered in any war, they are being suffered now, but it is necessary to remember that the German navy inflicted much graver wounds upon the British navy in the latter months of 1914, than they have at present succeeded in doing in 1939. In addition to this it has to be borne in mind that the Allied action against the German submarine is now much more effective than it was then, and though there may be an occasional recrudescence of activity, there is every reason to accept the statement of the First Lord of the Admiralty that this menace is well in hand.
There are other armchair critics who complain that the navy is not showing enough activity against the German navy. Again the experiences of the last war have to be recalled. The German fleet is on the defensive. This is forced upon it by inferior strength and unfavourable position. The British fleet will not accept the tempting offer to go into the Bight to be worn down by mine-laying and submarine warfare, and yet that is the only way to reach the German fleet until it eventually comes out into the open, short of by the air. The German naval strategy is obviously the same as in 1914, to seek to reduce the British navy to reasonable proportions and when some degree of balance of strength,—the greatly desired Krüfteausgleich,—has been obtained to venture on a decisive battle. The loss of Courageous and Royal Oak has done little rards bringing about the necessary degree of equilibrium. Both are capable of replacement within a reasonably short space of time, and by vessels of the very latest design, so that whatever temporary inconvenience may be created it is only a passing phase and of no very great importance whatever. In this connection it is important to note that Great Britain has had building since 1937, and consequently in a very advanced state of completion five battleships, fourteen cruisers, twenty-eight destroyers and a number of other vessels. The possibility of almost immediate replacement of any casualties which may reasonably be expected in the near future is always to be reckoned in endeavouring to assess the effect of successful enemy action against the fleet. The year which the Allies gained since Munich has placed them in an exceptionally favourable position, the losses inflicted upon their navies are not to be compared with what was done in 1914, while the submarine warfare against mercantile shipping has proved a comparative failure. These are not times, therefore, for lamentation, but rather the preservation of a quiet confidence in the ultimate result, a confidence which should not be shaken by anything which has happened up to the present.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.