May iH, 1916 
LAND & WATER 
II 
SS 
N 
N 
N 
N 
s $•■ _ _ _ 
A 
N 
N 
N 
N 
N 
N 
sss^ r 
f Mm/ ^ 
tl'-'tish steam ships blank. N means neutral, A allied, and S sailing ship. The arrows mark the dates of the America) Note 
and the German reply 
__ \p'^e£k\%'^Mek\Sv4m^^^^ 
2i 1 rrrr^m. 
% ----- 
1. ..__-■ f- \ Vii 
VI 
I I 1 
, 1 — -- - 
i 
1 X ! , . I 
This diagram shows shows the rate of daily loss that prevailed before March 20th, namely one per day, and its growth and decline 
in the eight succeeding weeks. The American Note was sent in the 6fth, and the German Reply in the seventh week • 
against tlic coast defence fleet was not that such 
a fleet could never in any circumstances be of ayiy use, 
but that to devote national treasure to developing a fleet 
of this character ivhcn a sea ^oing fleet was wanted, was an 
unwarlike misapplication of funds. But these are not 
the alternatives between which the present Board of 
Admiralty has to choose. Their predecessors, earlier in 
the war, delayed the building of battleships and cruisers 
to build monitors— doubtless because they thought that 
such ships were capable of employment to decisive 
military effect. Why the pre-Dreadnoughts could not 
be used for coast bombardment instead of monitors need 
not be argued here, nor whether it was good policy to 
delay sea going capital ships to complete an inshore 
squadron. The fact with which the present Board of 
Admiralty has to deal is that the monitors are there. 
If then certain of them are sent to the North-East coast, 
it can only be because there are more monitors available 
than can be employed in such bombardments as can 
now usefully be carried on. If this interpretation 
of the Admiralty's action is correct, there is no diversion 
of the monitors from the " aggressive purpose of their 
designer " to a passive and defensive purpose. Monitors 
obviously cannot pursue and catch German battle 
cruisers, but they carry 'formidable guns of long range 
and great destructive power. It may be difiicult for them 
to hit a 26 knot target maiiceuvring at very long range, 
but it will not be less ditticult for the distant and 
manoeuvring ships to hit them. Their presence might 
tlien inflict serious damage on an invading German. 
But to use them so does not mean either that the present 
Board considers a coast defence fleet should be built to 
the neglect of more universally efficient forms of naval 
force, or that monitors are the best means of engaging 
the raiding cruisers. 
If the Times critic is right about the redistribution 
his attack on this part of Mr. Balfour's policy is 
vastly more damaging. For according to this writer 
the policy of defensive offence, Great' Britain's traditional 
sea strategy, has now been reversed. The East Coast 
towns may e.xpect comparative immunity, but only 
because the strategic use of our forces has "been altered. 
It IS a modification imposed upon the Admiralty by 
the action of the enemy. Its weakness lies in the 
• substitution of squadrons in fixed positions for periodical 
sweeps in force through the length and breadth of the 
I^orth Sea." Were this indeed the meaning of Mr. 
Kaltour s letter and the intention of his policy, nothing 
more deplorable could be imagined. But what ground 
IS there for thinking that this is Mr. Balfour's meaning ? 
He says nothing of the kind. He makes it quite clear that 
%"f^5"^"S'^'"^'"t is made possible by additional units 
ot the first importance now being ready to use. The old 
provision of adequate naval preponderance at the right 
point has not been disturbed. It is merely proposed to 
establish new and advanced bases from which the new 
available squadrons can strike. It stands to reason that 
the nearer this base is to the shortest line between Heligo- 
land and the East coast, the greater the chance of 
the force within it being able to fall upon Germany's 
cruising or raiding units if they venture within the radius 
of its action. To establish a new or more southerly 
base then is a development of and not a departure from 
our previous strategy. If there is nothing to show that 
the old distribution is changed, certainly there is no 
suggestion that the squadron destined for the new base 
will be " fi.xed " there. If squadrons now based on the 
north are there only to pounce upon the emerging German 
ships, why should squadrons based further south not be 
employed for a similar purpose ? Arthur Pollen 
THE VETERANS' CLUB 
We would draw special attention to the Duke of Bedford's 
appeal on the subject of an Imperial Memorial to the heroes 
of the Great War, which, as planned, is to be constructed 
from the nucleus already existing in the Veterans' Club. 
The original club was opened five years ago to fill the wants 
of the ex-service man, where he could meet old comrades, get 
a bed, write his letters, and obtain help or advice, especially 
with regard to employment. There were no less than 7,000 
members of it before the war, most of whom have 
rejoined the colours, but in view of the immense expansion of 
the Navy and Army and the vast numbers of Veterans who 
will leave the Services at the expiration of the war it is neces- 
sary that the whole scope of this splendid Club should be 
enlarged if it is to be of adequate use. The present club 
building is quite inadequate for a large membership, and it is 
also considered that branches should be estabHshed here 
and in the Dominions, and centres constituted to which men 
could turn for help or advice on emigrating from this 
country to any one of the Dominions. 
The Veterans' Club Association has been formed to trans- 
late such a plan as this into action, and patriotic individuals 
are invited to join the Association and subscribe to it accord- 
ing to their means. It is desired to purchase and transfer 
the Club to an adequate building in London, now in the 
market, and permanently to endow it as a great Imperial 
Memorial ; to endow a splendid country house (which has 
been offered to the Committee) as a convalescent home for 
the use of members, and to carry on the other activities of 
the existing club in Hand Court, Holborn. 
For these purposes it is estimated that a sum of /250 000 
will be nt-eded. Donations and subscriptions should' be 
sent to the Duke of Bedford or the Lord Mayor of London c/o 
Messrs.Cox and Co., 16, Charing Cross, or to Messrs.Drummond 
49, Charing Cross. It is much to be desired that the response 
to this appeal will be both prompt and generous. 
