'There has been much theorizing, regarding the course of the hostilities in Europe and many guesses hazarded to explain why' the war, which has brought into position, millions of "men, thousands of aeroplanes and big naval and military organizations, backed by huge national schemes of finances and supplies, has not sumed the active offensive proportions gene ally associated with wars. As far as Germany ig "concerned, the most cogent explanation Is, probably to be found in defiance of one of the elementary prineiples—"Never underestimate the enemy." This, of course, involves the Judgment of the group immediately surrounding Herr Hitler for it can be well understood that his admirals and generals, whose advice he is known generally to ignore, cherish no such illusion. The Hitlerian plan of cameign against Britain was said to include mass attacks on the sea and in the air, cutting supply routes and destroying bases, leaving the military problem on the land as a mere matter of eotrte. Mines were to imperil shipping, routes fand block port entrances, U-boats, warships and raiders were to cripple sea-borne commerce and thousands of planes would sweep through the air destroying naval and military bases, aerodromes and principal ports. These offensives Taunched simultaneously on a great scale were to be the main Instruments of Hitler's design to win the war for Germany. Nothing of this Kind has happened and is likely to happen for the Allied alr forces have shown that they are quite a match for the German air force and it there has ever been a bad error of judgmer fand a failure to appreciate this cardinal princi ple of estimation it has been revealed in the Filtierian. conception of the role of the British Navy. Effectively and without the sughest sur-Fender to contrary claims, the British Navy Felains command of the sea and will continue fo do so. In the performance of this duty there must. be losses. for all over the world British Muarships are engaged inthe stupendous task of escorting and protecting come thousands of merchant ships daily, and
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.