LAND AND WATEE 
November 7, 1914 
because it is not the German system to take every 
available man, but rather to pick and choose and to 
leave a large untrained or half-trained reserve to be 
digested into the army in the course of a war, but 
very many because they were physically unfit far service. 
The remaining two quarters — or eight and a half 
million — stand for the boys who are not -eally fit to 
bear arms, but who can at a pinch be called upon, 
even from the age of 16 (as Napoleon called upon 
such classes in his last desperation), and for elderly, 
old, and very old laen. Nor should it be forgotten 
that to keep a nation going at all in wartime, you 
cannot reckon less than a number varying with varying 
circumstances, but in the case of G-ermany at least 
one million men — neither boys nor too old. 
Well, this loss of nearly one-and-three-quarter 
millions (at the very least) which has already fallen for 
the most part upon the two first quarters, the trained 
army, and the equal untrained mass behind it — has 
fallen most heavily on the first and best. It comes 
to more than a fifth of all the two possible categones 
combined i more than a fifth of those who can ever 
make real soldiers, and of these more than a quarter 
of the fii-st line. 
Tliere is the chief military feature of the 
struggle at the present moment. In a service 
peculiarly dependent upon cadres certainly a third of 
the oiBcers have by tltis time disappeared. It 
sounds like a violent statement, but the lists are 
there to prove it. 
It Avill probably be found when fuller records are 
available that much more than a third have already 
gone. Of the best troops called up for the first 
effort one-fourth have certainly gone and probably 
more. Of all troops, trained and untrained, so far 
incorporated by Germany one-fourth have gone, for 
has quite certainly not yet summoned in any 
seven million men since the 
war — it is doubtful if she has 
Of all available material for anything 
approaching a true army a quarter has ah-eady gone. 
At this point my calculation ceases. It must 
as yet be enough to suggest that upon analogy dra^vn 
from known cases of loss in pai-ticulax actions, every 
man can, by such methods as I have used above, come 
to his estimate of the corresponding wastage upon our 
side, and, for the whole of both fields, he wiU find 
that estimate a reassuring contrast. 
she 
shape more than 
beginning of the 
summoned six 
THE WAR BY WATER. 
By FRED T. JANE. 
NOTE. — THIS AETICLB HAS BJ'.EN SOEMITTED TO THB PRESS BCKHAIT, 'wniCH DOES NOT OBJECT TO TUB PBELIOATION AS CENSOMD 
AND TAKES KO BESrOSSIElUTr rOB THa COKEECTNESS OF THE 6TATSJ)dE:\XS. 
THE NORTH SEA. 
THE discovery of a German mine field of unlmown 
extent twenty miles north of Tory Island 
(Donegal, Ireland) is a serious matter. The mines 
must have been placed there quite recently or 
Bomething would have been sunk by them long ago. 
Now, it is impossible that any German mine-layer can 
have reached the spot under its own colours. Therefore, a 
neutral flag and probably a neutral vessel was employed. Now 
Khere did that vessel saU from ? 
Mines are not things that are easily shipped without observa- 
tion, and they occupy quite a lot of space. Of course, they can 
be hidden under a screen of harmless cargo, but none the less there 
must be some very carefully organised scheme. 
The question certainly arises as to whether these mines have 
not been stored in hannless looking cases somewhere in our own 
territory in anticipation of Der Tag, and the question is how 
many more are lying " in bond " awaiting use \ It would be 
quite consonant with German thoroughness. 
Some years ago — though for obvious reasons the fact did 
not appear in the Press — a cache of arms was discovered on the 
East Coast, and a systematic search unearthed others at various 
unexpected places. If arms and explosives were imported well 
beforehand, why not mines ? 
Another point in connection with the Tory Island mine 
field is that it is very improbable that the mines are anchored. 
Anchored or not, they will presently break adrift and so are 
liable to bo met with anywhofo around those parts, a danger 
to friend and foe alUce. 
The net result of all this is that sooner or later — probably 
Booner — considerable restrictions will have to be placed on all 
neutral shipping in or near British waters.* There are certain 
objections to imposing a systematic search, but the formation 
of regular convoys could hardly be resented by any innocent 
neutral, for any delay would be more than compensated for by 
the risk avoided. 
As for our warships, the risks which they run from this 
kind of warfare is immense, and it also comes under the head 
of things which cannot be provided for, except by the institution 
*Siua.r) llioso lines were written the Admiralty have Jm]X)sed certain 
nstrictioss, — Eo. 
of a very strict convoy system for all neutrals using waters 
anywhere contiguous to our coasts. 
Next in importance to the discovery of the Tory Island 
mine field is that on October 31st the old cruiaei Hermes was 
submarined in the Straits of Dover. 
It has been loiown for some time that one or more German 
submarines have been hanging about in the Channel, and every 
eCort has been made against our squadron oS Ostend. 
The disquieting part of the affair is how and in what way 
the German submarines manage to maintain themselves without 
visible means of support. 
In " the Battle of the Coast " matters generally remain as 
heretofore. V/e learn from an ofEcial statement that the old 
battleship Venerable is engaged in the bombardment. She 
carries 12-inch guns, and the effect of these on the German 
trenches must be something very terrible. One of the famous 
C'erman howitzers is said to have been destroyed by well-aimed 
fire from the 6-inch in one of our gunboats. Now that 12-inch 
guns have been imported, the German situation anywhere neai 
the coast must be distinctly unpleasant. 
THE MEDITERRANEAN. 
Tuekey's entry into the war has been no surprise — the 
Goeben and Brcslau subterfuge prepared us for it long ago. A 
fortnight ago I suggested that the flight of the Goeben before our 
little Gloucester might turn out, after all, to be an item of high 
strategy. In the Mediterranean itself the Goeben had no chance ; 
in the Black Sea, if properly handled, she will neutralise or destroy 
the whole Russian Black Sea Fleet. 
From the German point of view, immediate assets — beyond 
the bombardment of unfortified towns are not likely to be very 
great. Whatever the Turco-German Fleet may accomplish 
in the Black Sea it is abundantly clear that in some way or other 
Russia wiU reach Constantinople and hold it. 
When the world war is over, it is well on the cards that 
Russia and Greece may dispute as to who shall hold Byzantium, 
and Prussia may already be reckoning on some Phoenix resurrec- 
tion of the German Empire over that evcut._ But, so far as 
Turkey is concerned, it is the end of the Turks in Europe. 
This, however, is neither here nor there at present. Tho 
central point is that thus early in the naval game the enemy 
M* 
