LAND AND WATER 
February 6, 1915. 
F«i insisted on some of ita victims being sent there. Blufl 
ia aa frequent in the great game of War as it is m the game 
of " Poker. ' 
In any caee, it seems abundantly e-vndent thai either 
on our own coasts or adjacent thereunto in our own waters, 
the German submarines must have some bases of supply. 
The surest defence against them is not to seek for needles 
in hay but institute a systematic search for every possible 
base. Deprived of these, the German submarine corsairs will 
•oon. become helpless. 
THE BALTIC. 
The Russian Nevy has not been long in demonstrating 
thai winter is no bar to its activities. On January 25 the 
•mall cruiser Gazelle was submarined off Kugen, where she 
•was patrolling. . 
Though only a small vessel, the torpedo failed to sink 
her, and she was towed into Sassonitz by » ferry steamer. 
The Gazelle was an old vessel of small size and little 
fighting value. However, she was well fitted up for tl>e work 
■he was engaged on, so her disablement is useful to the 
Allies. 
The submarine probably came from the Aland Islands, 
which are quite 500 miles from Rugen. This fact, coupled 
with the weather conditions, will probably have a consider- 
able moral effect on the Germans, who in the past have had 
a tendency to regard the Russian submarine service as ineffi- 
cient. 
It is officially announced that on the 25th a Zeppelm 
dropped nine bombs on Libau, and was then brought down 
by gunfire. 
THE ADRIATIC. 
Certain correspondents want to know why the French 
Fleet is so inactive in the Adriatic. It is suggested that if 
the Austrian battle fleet will not come o\A, then the French 
Fleet should bombard Cattaro. 
Now early in the war there was a bombardment of 
Cattaro, but it produced little effect, and so was discon- 
tinued. Had Oattaro fallen, all the other bases could have 
been captured, but there would have been a twofold danger 
in the attempt: in the first place from submarines, and 
in the second place, of being caught with depleted maga- 
zines, just as Persano was caught by Tegethoff at Lissa. 
That little studied naval campaign of fifty years ago probably 
influences profoundly the present situation. 
To attempt a serious bombardment of a strong position, 
with a "fleet in being " no great distance away — a fleet 
wHich, though inferior, is not more inferior than was that of 
Tegethoff to Persano's at Lissa — is to court a Fi'ench replica 
of the Italian disaster in the past. 
The policy of the French Navy is dull and unexciting, but 
ttie object of war is not to provide headlines and interesting 
reading for the general public. (It is astonishing how many 
people there are who faU to realise this. It is due probably 
to picture palaces and " football.") Tlie French are doing 
the right thing with their battle fleet, just as our Admiralty 
is doing the right thing with the British battle fleet. 
ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
A. C. (Hamilton, N.B.). — (1) In reply to your ques- 
tion, the eea-keeping abilities of British and German sub- 
marines of equal date axe more or less the same, but with 
a theoretical balance in our favour, because our boats are 
generally larger. On the other hand, as the Germans un- 
doubtedly employ mother ships under a neutral flag, and as 
we consider it beneath our dignity to play a similar trick. 
their actual searkeeping qualitiea axe probably twice that 
of ours. 
(2) As boats ceteris paribus Qur submarines are certainlj; 
superior to the German class. 
(3) The Germans have undoubtedly displayed very great 
daring with their submarines, but if you investigate you 
will find that this daring is mainly confined to four or five 
toats which have done all the work to date. 
(4) As regards the relative merits of big ships, the 
modern British warship is superior to the German in the 
matter of offence. In the matter of defence, that is to say, 
avoiding being hurt, the advantage rests with the German 
ships. Our theory is to hit the enemy so hard that he 
cannot do any hitting back. The German theory is to be 
able to take almost unlimited punishment and trust to luck 
that the relatively feeble reply hits will eventually achieve 
victory. 
(5) 1 do not tliink that the fact of the men appearing 
on shore with the name of their ship on their caps is likely 
to give anjthing away to the enemy. For example, it might 
be a blind ; it might be that they had just been relieved by; 
another crew and had not time to change their cap ribbons,; 
or they might have been suddenly drafted to another ship. 
(6) I think that we would be well advised to be oaioful 
about accepting stories of German treachery. In the Franco- 
German War of 1871 nous somines frahis was the undoing 
of the French troops in many a battle. 
A. F. K. (near Bath). — We, all of us, find the Censor- 
ship troublesome. Occasionally the Censor's operations have/ 
turned a reasoned argument into seeming drivel. On the 
other hand, it has to be remembered that the Censor works 
on inside knowledge, and is seldom, if ever, in a position to 
explain his reason for suppressing certain information. Aa 
you are an Oxford man, may I refer you to the history 
of the Peloponnesian War, and request you to ask yourself 
whether the Athenians would not have fared better if the 
democracy had been kept less informed about the" course of 
naval operations. It is possible, of course, to cite one case 
in which the pressure of non-technical public opinion did 
lead to an advantage, but against this I think there are many^ 
in which the reverse obtained. 
A. E. J. (Redhill). — Comment on the matter to which 
you refer is not permitted by the Press Censorship. 
F. E. B. (Broadstone). — There are plenty of small craft 
patrolling looking for submarines, but a submarine is a diffi- 
cult fish to oatch. 
E. (Uckfield). — (1) It is the fortunes of war that the 
small craft which have to do the spade work rarely get into 
the limelight. Occasionally, as in the case of the Arethusa, 
they do, but, generally speaking, it is necessai-ily the big 
ship which is equivalent to the star actor. 
(2) As regards the official reports of the Falkland Islands, 
there is probably some good reason for this being withheld. 
(3) The third matter to which you refer is better not dis- 
cussed in print further than I have already done. 
A. P. O, W. (Highgate). — Your idea is quite sound, but 
BO far as I know, it is already in application. You will under- 
stand that to discuss it is not to the public interest. It 
is extremely important in this war to kill the enemy without 
letting the enemy know how and why he has been killed. 
H. S. J. (Saundersfoot). — I commented on the matter to 
which you refer several weeks ago, but it was deleted by the 
Censor. If it is now allowed to be published, you will eee 
my views on the matter as then written. If you do not see 
them, you will understand that the fiat of the Censor is still 
against publication. 
Terms of Subscription to 
"THE COUNTY GENTLEMAN 
AMD 
LAND AND WATER" 
(ESTABLISHED 1862), 
AT HOME— Twelve Months - - - £1 8 
CANADA— Twelve Months - - - £1 10 6 
ELSEWHERE ABROAD— Twelve Months £1 17 
Tkt ahcte rates inelud* »U Special Nwitbcrt and Pottage, 
BICK C0PIE8 of "LAND AND WATKR," containing the 
•erle« of Articlei by HILAIRE BBLLOC, "THE WAR BY 
LAND"; and FRED T. JANE, "THE WAR BY WATER" 
together with a valuable reference, "THE TOPOGRAPHICAL 
GUIDE," can be obtained through any Newsagent, or on 
•ppUcaUon to the Offices of "LAND AND WATER," Qbmtbai. 
House, Kinobway, W.O. 
LOOKING BACKWARDS. 
Readers o( the special articles appearing in this Journal 
on " The War by Land and Water " will doubtless 
wish to retain in correct rotation this remarkable series 
of .rudes by HILAIRE BELLOC and FRED T. JANE. 
We have, therefore, prepared special cloth binders to hold 
the first thirteen numbers, at a cost of Is, 6d. each. 
Or we will supply the thirteen numbers BOUND complete, 
for 6s. 6d. 
Owing to the big demand for back numbers already 
received we have had to reprint some of the earlier 
numbers. Same can now be supplied at 6d. per copy. 
Order now from your Newsagent, Bookstall, or direct 
from the Publishers, 
••LAND AND WATER," 
CENTRAL HOUSE. KINGSWAY.LONDON. 
16* 
