November 7, 1914 
LAND AND WATER 
«hould have been compelled to play his trump card. It is the 
first real confession of defeat that we have had. 
It will probably be many a " Louvain " for many undefended 
villages on the shores of the Black Sea. Only submarines, 
destroyers and luck, especially luck, can avail the Russians here. 
For a while at least, thanks to the Goebcn, Turkey will pull 
chestnuts out of the fire for Germany in the Euxino. But it is 
certainly goinj? to be at the expense of the Ottoman Empire, 
as the Turks'will presently learn. They have given Constantinople 
to their hereditary foes ; and every island in the Levant will 
presently be Greek. 
And in dragging Turkey into the fray Germany has probably 
hit herself the hardest blow. 
These things will not be apparent at first. We may 
probably look for a lisiug in Egypt ere long — followed by a corre- 
sponding rising in Tripoli against the Italians. The net result 
will be a forcing of Italy into the camp of the Allies. But these 
are land and side issues. The main point is that up till now 
the Russian Black Sea Fleet has been " out of the war," because 
it was confined to the Black Sea by treaty. Now all is changed. 
As a fighting machine the Turkish Navy is quite worthless. 
The Black Sea issue entirely depends upon the Gochen, which 
is probably equal in actual fighting value to the entire Russian 
Euxine Fleet, unless it first disables her by torpedo attack. 
But if the Gochen sank every Russian ship in the Black Sea 
it would not affect main naval operations in the least, and its 
effects on the military situation would be more inconclusive 
still. The Goeben cannot get out through the Dardanelles 
without facing a fighting force of the Allies more than able to 
cope with her. Her utmost capacity is a certain amount of 
wanton destruction in the Black Sea, for which ultimately 
Germany will have to pay heavily. And, further, there will 
arise the question as to whether both she and the Breslau are 
not now of pirate status, and outside all that International Law 
which they have so flagrantly ignored. 
The bombardment of Cattaro continues, and, so far as 
can be gathered from the meagre reports which come in, it is 
being slowly destroyed. On sea as on land it looks as though 
all old ideas about fixed defences must be modified ; before this 
war is over even Heligoland itself may be bombarded into 
insignificance. At any rate, it is within the region of possibilities. 
THE HIGH SEAS GENERALLY. 
Last week's recrudescence of corsairs is marked by the 
temporary retirement of the Karlsruhe and the reappearance 
of the Emden, which on October 28th suddenly appeared at 
Penang with a dummy fourth funnel and flj'ing (according to 
Russian accounts) the Japanese flag (according to the French 
report) a Russian flag. This divergence of opinion is instructive, 
since by no "possibility can the Russian and Japanese flags be 
mistaken for each other. 
We can, therefore, reconstruct with some accuracy what 
probably happened. The Emden approached the Russian 
cruiser JenUchug under the Japanese flag and possibly actually 
torpedoed the cruiser under it. Being in some way possessed 
of the information that the French destroyer Mousqueton was 
also at Penang, she then hoisted the Russian ensign, probably 
hoping to escape in the confusion, or at any rate to obtain 
advantage out of the Mousqiicion's expected hesitation. 
The whole affair is mysterious, because it is a fixed canon of 
coisair warfare never to fight if fight can possibly be avoided, 
as a very little damage may materially impair any future work. 
The Jemtchug was not a powerful ship, but she had a broadside 
of four 4'7 against 'the Emden's five 4 inch. She was hampered 
by being at anchor and also by being surprised, but, even so, the 
Emden took enormous risks for no apparent object, since one 
pursuer more or less could make no difference. 
Consequently, we are forced to one of two conclusions. 
Either Kapitan von Mullcr has got swelled head and is bent on 
being in the limelight at all costs, or else, as seems more probable, 
he is nearing the end |of his tether, and now only intent on 
damaging as m.any warships as possible before going under. 
We know that the Eniden has had to sacrifice two of her colliers — 
the Markomania and the Greek steamer Ponloporus — recently, 
in order to save herself, and from this we may presume that her 
" communications " have very possibly been cut altogether. 
It is well within the bounds of probability that she will be next 
heard of as interned in some neutral port — by preference 
Siamese. 
Another thing which must hamper the Emden is that her 
ammunition must be growing short, and her favourite trick 
of using the British or other Allied flag is becoming well kno^vn. 
The quarry is therefore a great deal more shy than heretofore. 
The Envlen has now twenty-one merchant ships and two 
warships to her credit, but the indications are that her days are 
numbered. In any case, it is dear that the great German 
Bchcrae of commerce warfare has signally failed and that one 
way and another the cost of it all to Germany has probably 
been greater than the loss inflicted on us. In one way especially 
has it been a signal failure — it has completely failed to create 
a British commercial p.inic. Thoretically ere this wo should all 
have been on short commons with food at famine prices. 
It is ironical that this German failure must be in great part 
due to Prince Louis of Battcnberg having urged the early niobi- 
lisation of the British Fleet and so prevented many corsairs 
from materialising. It is curious that t\ie\Emden's abandonment 
of the corsair game should coincide with the retirement of 
" L.B." (as the Navy has always called him) from his post of 
First Sea Lord on account of a public agitation directed on the 
fact that as a baby he was a German ! 
THE FAR EAST. 
So far as can be gathered the clouds are closing round 
Kiao Chau. The sea bombardment appears to bo conducted 
mainly by British warships, while the Japanese land batteries 
are doing much damage. The German gunboats inside appear 
to get sunk by slow degrees, but whether they do or do not it 
is unlikely to affect the main issue, Kiao Chau is doomed to 
extinction. 
MATTERS GENERALLY. 
DuRixa the last week or so the destroyer has receded 
considerably from her pre-war status. The affair off the Dutch 
Coast, the sinking of the Mousqueton at Penang, all go to indicate 
that 6-iuch and even 4-inch guns are far more deadly against 
destroyers than was anticipated. Like the submarine, the 
destroyer also seems doomed to illustrate the old saying about 
the impotence of the lightweight boxer before the heavyweight. 
All of which is still in the embryo stage. We cannot yet 
say for certain that the " Dreadnought policy " is proved 
correct. But, whatever happens, it has so far shown itself 
not to be wrong, despite things done by submarines. 
AN IMPORTANT WAR MAP. 
One of the most useful of war maps yet published is the large 
relief map of the central European area issued by Messrs. Georga 
Pliilip at six guineas. It forms a faithful representation of the con- 
figuration of Europe — western and central Europe, that is — and gives a 
clearer idea than can bo obtained in any other way of the difficulties 
that face the Allies in the Rhine Valley, the region of the Argonne, 
and the Ardennes country — these as instanoes. The nature of the 
country over which the Russian troops are also advancing is clearly 
shown, and altogether the map is an education as regards the diffi- 
culties attendant on the conduct of this war. It is a publication that 
should be found in every club, at every war lecture, and in every 
country house in which an interest is taken in the progress of the war. 
WAR KIT. 
Inspection of the materials and methods of Messrs. White, tailors, 
of 10, Blenheim Street, W., demonstrates that the firm has made speci;il 
study of the needs of officers proceeding to the war area, and is 
prepared to give the ultimate of value iu conjunction with detailed 
personal attention to each customer. The prices are extremely reason 
able, for a cash system obviates bad debts and gives opportunity for 
smaller profits than are required in the ca.'w of credit firms. There is 
an overcoat of rainproof frieze which merits special attention, and 
another thing worthy of note is the " British warm " coat of military 
pattern — an ideal garment for winter campaigning. These are but 
instances ; the firm is making a speciality of military kit, but equally 
good value is given in the matter of civilian attire, and the work of the 
firm as a whole is well worthy of recommendation. 
Charing Cross Hospital appeals for funds to equip five wards for 
the wounded soldiers. The sum required is £3,000. The five newly 
renovated wards were reopened at the end of last year, and their use 
by our soldiers and sailors will in no way interfere with the rights of 
the civil population. Cheques crossed should be made payable to the 
Appeal Secretary, Cliaring Cross Hospital. 
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