VICE-ADMIRAL INGENOHL.Commander-in-Chief, German High Seas Fleet.
VICE-ADMIRAL INGENOHL.Commander-in-Chief, German High Seas Fleet.
These are popular ships in the German navy, owing to their handiness, good speed, and sea-keeping qualities. The armament is not so formidable as it looks, owing to the slow rate of fire from the secondary battery. The 6·7-in. projectile weighs 154 lbs., and is thus too heavy to be handled by manual power, a fact which takes this gun out of the quick-firing category.
In fighting value the ships compare with our Formidables. The coal supply is limited to 1,750 tons. The complement is 743 officers and men. The “Deutschland” was for some years flagship of the High Sea Fleet.
The same in every respect as the “Deutschland” class, except that the armour belt is only 9-in. thick.
The “Wittelsbach” class, to which these vessels belong, has the following characteristics: Displacement, 11,643 tons; speed 18 knots; armament, four 9·4-in., eighteen 5·9-in., twelve21-pounders, and six submerged torpedo tubes. Amidships there is a belt of 9-in. armour, with 10-in. plating on the big-gun turrets.
Although the heavy guns are too weak for modern tactics, the exceptionally powerful secondary battery was considered to compensate for this defect. To older ships of the pre-Dreadnought period the “Wittelsbach” class might still prove formidable opponents.
In service they have been found defective in sea-keeping qualities, and the high freeboard and lofty superstructure offer an inviting target to hostile guns.
Normally these ships form part of the reserve fleet. Proposals to reconstruct and modernise them two years ago were rejected, on the ground of their insignificant fighting value.
The coal supply is 1,800 tons. A complement of 683 officers and men is borne.
Particulars of the Kaiser Friedrich class, of which these ships are representatives, are as follows: Displacement, 10,600 tons; speed, 17 knots; armament, four 9·4-in., fourteen 5·9-in., fourteen 21-pounder guns and five submerged torpedo tubes. Protection is afforded by a narrow belt 12-in. thick amidships, which tapers to 4-in. at the bows. The stern has no side armour.
KAISER CLASS.KAISER, FRIEDRICH DER GROSSE, KAISERIN,PRINZREG-LUITPOLD, KÖNIG ALBERT.Displacement: 24,200 tons.Speed: 21 knots; Guns: 10 12·2in., 14 6in., 12 24pdrs.; Torpedo tubes: 5.Astern fire:Broadside:Ahead fire:8 12·2in.10 12·2in.6 12·2in.4 6in.7 6in.4 6in.
KAISER CLASS.
KAISER, FRIEDRICH DER GROSSE, KAISERIN,PRINZREG-LUITPOLD, KÖNIG ALBERT.
Displacement: 24,200 tons.
Speed: 21 knots; Guns: 10 12·2in., 14 6in., 12 24pdrs.; Torpedo tubes: 5.
In their original form each ship carried eighteen 5·9-in. guns, but all, excepting the Kaiser Karl der Grosse, underwent complete reconstruction six or seven years ago, when four 5·9-in. guns and much of the clumsy top-hamper were removed. This reduction in weight brought the lower edge of the armour belt dangerously near the surface, with the result that when the ships are rolling the belt comes out of the water, and the lower hull is thus exposed to the smallest projectile.
Owing to this grave defect the ships were withdrawn from active service, and have been in reserve ever since they were reconstructed.
Maximum coal capacity is 1,000 tons. The complement numbers 622 officers and men.
These vessels are the two oldest battleships in the German navy. The class consisted originally of four ships, but two of them (Kurfürst Friedrich Wilhelm and Weissenburg) were sold toTurkey in 1910, and are now included in the Turkish fleet as the Haireddin Barbarossa and Torgut Reis. The displacement is 9,870 tons, the present speed about 16 knots.
Six 11-in. guns of obsolete type form the main armament, which is mounted in three double turrets on the centre line. This disposition enables all six heavy guns to fire on either beam. There are also eight 4·1-in. and eight 21-pounder guns, with two submerged and one above-water torpedo tubes.
On the water-line amidships is a 16-in. belt of compound armour, and the big gun positions are protected by 12-in. plating. About 1,050 tons of coal can be stored. The complement is 585 officers and men. The fighting value of this class under modern conditions is practically nil.
These vessels comprise the very oldest class of German armoured ships, and are used onlyfor the local defence of harbours and coasts. The displacement is 4,000 tons. The speed originally was 15 knots, but is now considerably less.
The armament consists of three old 9·4-in. and ten 21-pounder guns, with four torpedo tubes. A narrow belt of 9-in. armour protects the waterline, but elsewhere the hull has very little protection.
The complement numbers 307 officers and men.
The “Blücher” is the most modern of Germany’s armoured cruisers, as distinct from the battle-cruiser class. She was laid down in 1906, at Kiel, as a “reply” to the British “Invincibles,” then building.
At that date the details of the new British ships were carefully guarded, with the result that the Germans, acting on incorrect information, designed a cruiser which was far behind the “Invincible” in every respect. The Blücher displaces 15,550 tons, and is 527-ft. in length.
She has reciprocating engines of 32,000 h.p., for a designed speed of 24 knots, which was increased to 25·8 knots on trial.
The armament consists of twelve 8·2-in., eight 5·9-in., and sixteen 21-pounder guns, with four submerged torpedo tubes. The 8·2-in. guns aretwin-mounted in armoured turrets, so arranged that eight of these weapons bear on the broadside. The 5·9-in. guns are in an armoured battery.
A 7-in. belt protects the waterline and vitals, and there is plating of equal thickness on the turrets. The coal supply is 2,200 tons.
The complement numbers 888 officers and men. The “Blücher,” which until lately was used for gunnery training purposes, is the only German warship to be fitted with a tripod mast and a fire-control station on the British pattern.
Both these armoured cruisers were launched in 1906. They displace 11,400 tons, and are 470-ft. in length. With engines designed for 28,000 h.p., the trial speed was 23 knots. The armament is very powerful for a ship of this class, and consists of eight 8·2-in., six 5·9-in., and eighteen 21-pounder guns, with four submerged torpedo tubes.
Four of the big guns are mounted in twin turrets, the remaining four in broadside casemates. Six of these weapons can be fired on either broadside. The 5·9-in. guns are in an armoured battery.
Six-inch armour protects the waterline and vital parts, the same thickness being on the main gun positions. The maximum coal supply is 2,000 tons.
A complement of 764 officers and men is carried.
The “Scharnhorst” flies the flag of the admiral in command of the cruiser squadron in China, and the “Gneisenau” is also a unit of the China squadron.
The principal details of these ships are: Displacement, 9,350 tons; length, 417-ft.; designed h.p., 19,000; speed, 21 knots. Armament consists of four 8·2-in., ten 5·9-in., and fourteen 21-pounder guns, with four submerged torpedo tubes. The 8·2-in. guns are mounted in two double turrets placed forward and aft, the 5·9-in. being in an armoured battery.
Protection is very poor. At its thickest the belt is only 4 ins., but there is 6-in. armour on the turrets. The general design of these ships is faulty, and they have not proved successful in service. The maximum coal capacity is 1,400 tons.
A complement of 633 officers and men is carried.
These are vessels of 8,850 tons displacement, and 410-ft. in length. They have engines of 17,000 h.p., giving a speed of 21 knots. Their armament comprises four 8·2-in. guns in twinturrets, ten 5·9-in., and twelve 21-pounder quick-firers, with four torpedo tubes. The armour belt is only 4 ins. thick, but the two turrets are protected by 6-in. armour.
Coal capacity is 1,600 tons with bunkers full. A complement of 591 officers and men is borne.
This vessel is one of the earliest German armoured cruisers. She was built specially for service abroad, and was formerly on the China station. She displaces 8,760 tons, is 410-ft. in length, and originally steamed at 201⁄2knots, but is now considerably slower.
Her armament consists of two 9·4-in., ten 5·9-in., and ten 21-pounder guns, with four torpedo tubes, three of them submerged. The big guns are in single turrets placed at each end, whilst the secondary armament is mounted partly in small turrets, and partly in battery.
There is only a 4-in. belt on the waterline, with 6-in. plating on the heavy turrets. The full fuel supply is 1,450 tons. Her complement numbers 567 officers and men.
This is the oldest armoured cruiser in service. She is at present being converted into a torpedotraining ship, and may not have her full armament on board. The displacement is 10,750 tons, length 411-ft., speed 19 knots. She carries four 9·4-in., twelve 5·9-in., ten 21-pounders, and six torpedo tubes. The big guns are in two twin turrets. An 8-in. belt protects the waterline, and the main gun positions have plating of equal thickness. This vessel was completed in 1900, having taken more than four years to build. Her present fighting value is small. The complement is 594 officers and men.
This is the oldest German protected cruiser in service. Launched in 1892, she has a displacement of 5,900 tons, and a speed of 20 knots. She is armed with twelve 5·9-in. quick-firing guns, and eight 21-pounders, with three torpedo tubes. There is a thick steel deck, which extends from bow to stern. The complement is 439 officers and men.
These are vessels of 5,600 tons displacement, and belong to the training squadron for cadetsand boys. They can steam at about 19 knots, but the small coal capacity of 900 tons limits their radius of action. The armament consists of two 8·2-in. guns in single armoured turrets, six 5·9-in., and fourteen 21-pounder quick-firers with three torpedo tubes.
Amidships there is a 4-in. protective deck, and armour of the same thickness protects the guns. A complement of 465 officers and men is carried.
This is a protected cruiser of 3,700 tons, with a speed of about 19 knots, armed with ten 4·1-in. and six smaller quick-firers. There are no torpedo tubes. A complement of 296 officers and men is carried.
The “Hela” is a small cruiser of 2,000 tons, with a nominal speed of 20 knots. She is armed with two 21-pounder and four smaller guns, and has three torpedo tubes. There is a steel deck over boilers and machinery. The complement is 191 officers and men.
These vessels were the first fast light cruisers which Germany has built in such numbers duringrecent years. The displacement is 2,600 tons, and the present speed about 201⁄2knots. They are armed with ten 4·1-in. quick-firing guns and two submerged torpedo tubes. With coal bunkers full the steaming radius at moderate speed is 4,000 knots. A 2-in. steel deck protects boilers and engines from shell fire. Complement: 270 officers and men.
These ships are protected cruisers of 2,620 tons, with a speed of about 211⁄2knots. Armament: Ten 4·1-in. quick-firers and two torpedo tubes. There is a 2-in. curved deck over boilers and machinery spaces. With a full coal supply on board, these cruisers have a steaming radius at low speed of slightly more than 4,000 knots. The complement numbers 275 officers and men.
[5]Fitted as a mine-layer.
[5]Fitted as a mine-layer.
These are protected cruisers of 3,200 tons, with a speed of over 22 knots. They are armed withten 4·1-in. guns and two torpedo tubes. Starting with coal bunkers full, they are capable of steaming 5,000 knots at low speed without re-coaling. A complement of 303 officers and men is carried.
A protected cruiser of 3,350 tons, with a maximum speed of 24 knots. She was launched in 1905. Armed with ten 4·1-in. quick-firing guns and two torpedo tubes. The radius of action at low speed is 5,000 knots. Complement: 322 officers and men.
Protected cruisers of 3,350 tons, which are able to travel at nearly 25 knots. They are armed with ten 4·1-in. quick-firing guns and two torpedo tubes. The steaming radius at economical speed is 5,500 knots. Complement, 322 officers and men.
Protected cruisers of 3,540 tons, with a maximum speed of 241⁄2knots. The armament consists of ten 4·1-in. quick-firing guns and two torpedo tubes. The steaming radius at low speed isabout 5,800 knots. Complement, 361 officers and men.
Protected cruisers of 4,280 tons, turbine driven, with a trial speed of nearly 27 knots. They are armed with twelve 4·1-in. quick-firing guns and two torpedo tubes. Their radius of action with bunkers full is nearly 6,000 knots. The complements consists of 379 officers and men.
Fast cruisers of 4,478 tons, able to steam at nearly 28 knots. They are armed with twelve 4·1-in. quick-firing guns and two torpedo tubes. On the water-line there is 4-in. vertical armour, so that these vessels are, strictly speaking, armoured cruisers. They have a large coal supply, and can cover more than 6,000 knots without taking in fresh fuel. Complement: 370 officers and men.
These are the very latest fast light cruisers. They have a maximum speed of 28 knots. Thearmament is twelve 4·1-in. quick-firing guns and two torpedo tubes. At the water-line there is an armour belt 4-in. thick, and much internal protection. The radius of action at economical speed is 6,500 knots. A complement of 373 officers and men is carried.
Gunboats of 1,600 tons, having a speed of 15 knots. They are armed with eight 4·1-in. quick-firing guns and two torpedo tubes. Complement: 162 officers and men.
Gunboats of 880 tons, with a speed of about 14 knots, and armed with small quick-firing guns. The complement numbers 126 officers and men.
Gunboats of 900 tons and 14 knots speed. They carry two 4·1-in. and some smaller guns. Complement: 130 officers and men.
Launched 1914. Displacement 650 tons, speed 321⁄2knots. Armament: Five torpedo tubes, two 21-pounder quick-firers, and four machine guns. Complement, 73.
Launched 1913. Displacement 650 tons, speed 321⁄2knots. Armament: Five torpedo tubes, two 21-pounder quick-firers, and four machine guns. Complement, 73.
Launched 1913. Displacement 620 tons, speed 321⁄2knots. Armament: Five torpedo tubes, two 21-pounder quick-firers, and four machine guns. Complement, 73.
Launched 1912. Displacement 550 tons, speed 321⁄2knots. Armament: Five torpedo tubes, two 21-pounder quick-firers, and two machine guns. Complement, 73.
Launched 1910. Displacement 645 tons, speed 321⁄2knots. Armament: Four torpedo tubes, two 21-pounder quick-firers, and two machine guns. Complement, 83.
Launched 1909. Displacement 630 tons, speed 32 knots. Armament: Four torpedotubes, two 21-pounder quick-firers, and two machine guns. Complement, 83.
Launched 1910. Displacement 645 tons, speed 311⁄2knots. Armament: Four torpedo tubes, two 21-pounder quick-firers, and two machine guns. Complement, 83.
Launched 1908. Displacement 628 tons, speed 30 knots. Armament: Three torpedo tubes, two 21-pounder quick-firers, and two machine guns. Complement, 83.
Launched 1908. Displacement 600 tons, speed 32 knots. Armament: Three torpedo tubes, two 21-pounder quick-firers, and two machine guns. Complement, 83.
Launched 1909. Displacement 600 tons, Speed 30 knots. Armament: Three torpedo tubes, two 21-pounder quick-firers, two machine guns. Complement, 83.
Launched 1907. Displacement 545 tons, speed 30 knots. Armament: Three torpedo tubes, two 21-pounder quick-firers, and two machine guns. Complement, 83.
Launched 1906. Displacement 515 tons, speed 30 knots. Armament: Three torpedo tubes, one 21-pounder quick-firer, three 4-pounderquick-firers, and two machine guns. Complement, 80.
Launched 1906. Displacement 565 tons, speed 30 knots. Armament: Three torpedo tubes, one 21-pounder quick-firer, three 4-pounder quick-firers, and two machine guns. Complement, 80.
Launched 1906. Displacement 480 tons, speed 27 knots. Armament: Three torpedo tubes, four 4-pounder quick-firers, and two machine guns. Complement, 68.
Launched 1906. Displacement 480 tons, speed 27 knots. Armament: Three torpedo tubes, one 24-pounder quick-firer, two 4-pounder quick-firers, and two machine guns. Complement, 68.
Launched 1906. Displacement 480 tons, speed 27 knots. Armament: Three torpedo tubes, four 4-pounder quick-firers, and two machine guns. Complement, 68.
Launched 1904. Displacement 480 tons, speed 27 knots. Armament: Three torpedo tubes, three 4-pounder quick-firers, and two machine guns. Complement, 60.
Launched 1904. Displacement 460 tons, speed 27 knots. Armament: Three torpedotubes, three 4-pounder quick-firers, and two machine guns. Complement, 60.
Launched 1903. Displacement 415 tons, speed 26 knots. Armament: Three torpedo tubes, three 4-pounder quick-firers, and two machine guns. Complement, 56.
Destroyers of 400 tons, launched in 1901. The maximum speed is 26 knots. Armament: Three small quick-firers, two machine guns, three torpedo tubes. The complement is 56 officers and men.
—This is a destroyer of 280 tons and 30 knots speed. She carries three small guns, and two torpedo tubes. Complement: 49 officers and men. She was captured from the Chinese during the Boxer campaign.
—A destroyer of 350 tons and 28 knots speed, armed with five small guns, two machine guns, and two torpedo tubes. Complement, 60 officers and men.
—An old destroyer of 375 tons and 24 knots speed. She carries three small guns, two Maxims, and three torpedo tubes. Complement, 49 officers and men.
—Very old destroyers, of more than 300 tons displacement and about 22 knots speed. They carry some small guns and three torpedo tubes. Complement, 49 officers and men.
Helgoland.Photo: Topical War Service.HELGOLAND CLASS.HELGOLAND, OSTFRIESLAND, THÜRINGEN, OLDENBURG.Displacement: 21,000 tons.Speed: 21 knots; Guns: 12 12·2in., 14 6in., 14 24pdrs.; Torpedo tubes: 6.Astern fire:Broadside:Ahead fire:6 12·2in.8 12·2in.6 12·2in.4 6in.7 6in.4 6in.
Helgoland.Photo: Topical War Service.
Helgoland.Photo: Topical War Service.
HELGOLAND CLASS.
HELGOLAND, OSTFRIESLAND, THÜRINGEN, OLDENBURG.
Displacement: 21,000 tons.
Speed: 21 knots; Guns: 12 12·2in., 14 6in., 14 24pdrs.; Torpedo tubes: 6.
Very old destroyers, displacing 225 tons, with a speed of 21 knots. Armament: five small guns and three torpedo-tubes. Complement, 46.
—These are the earliest German submarines, and displace about 150 to 200 tons. The speed above water does not exceed 9 knots, and two torpedo-tubes are carried. There is a crew of 11.
—These boats belong to the second German type. The displacement is about 250 tons, and the surface and submerged speeds are 12 and 8 knots respectively. Three torpedo-tubes are fitted. Complement, 14 officers and men.
—These boats are believed to be of about 400 tons, with a surface speed of 15 knots, and to be armed with three or four torpedo-tubes. The crew consists of 17 officers and men.
—These submarines displace about 800 tons, and are said to be able to travel at 18 knots on the surface. They are armed with four torpedo-tubes and two small quick-firing guns. The complement is about 22 officers and men.
—These boats are the very latest type. The displacement is about 900 tons, thesurface speed 18 knots, and they can travel at 12 knots when submerged. The armament consists of four torpedo-tubes and two quick-firing guns on high-angle mountings. About 30 officers and men are carried.
—This is the oldest German mine-layer in commission. She was launched in 1890, displaces 2,300 tons, and can steam at 151⁄2knots. The armament consists of four 21-pounder quick-firing guns, and, of course, a large number of mines charged with high explosives. She is used as a sea-going training ship for mine work. The complement is 195 officers and men.
—This ship was specially built for mine-laying work, and was launched in 1906. Her displacement is 1,935 tons, the designed speed 20 knots. She carries eight 21-pounder guns, and has magazines for a large number of naval mines, with special gear for dropping them. Her crew numbers 198 officers and men.
—This ship, which was specially built for mine-laying work, was launched in 1907. The displacement is 2,185 tons, the designed speed 20 knots. She is armed with eight 21-pounder quick-firers, and has magazines for a large number of naval mines, with special gear for dropping them. The crew numbers 198 officers and men.
Immediately the Home Fleets had been mobilised the Admiralty issued the following announcement:
With the approval of his Majesty the King, Admiral Sir John R. Jellicoe, K.C.B., K.C.V.O., has assumed supreme command of the Home Fleets, with the acting rank of Admiral, and Rear-Admiral Charles E. Madden, C.V.O., has been appointed to be his Chief of the Staff.
With the approval of his Majesty the King, Admiral Sir John R. Jellicoe, K.C.B., K.C.V.O., has assumed supreme command of the Home Fleets, with the acting rank of Admiral, and Rear-Admiral Charles E. Madden, C.V.O., has been appointed to be his Chief of the Staff.
His Majesty immediately sent an inspiring message to Admiral Sir John Jellicoe, as representing the whole Navy, and it was communicated to the officers and men of the squadrons in all parts of the world.
At this grave moment in our National history I send to you, and through you to the officers and men of the Fleets of which you have assumed command, the assurance of my confidence that under your direction they will revive and renew the old glories of the Royal Navy, and prove once again the sure shield of Britain and of her Empire in the hour of trial.George R.I.
At this grave moment in our National history I send to you, and through you to the officers and men of the Fleets of which you have assumed command, the assurance of my confidence that under your direction they will revive and renew the old glories of the Royal Navy, and prove once again the sure shield of Britain and of her Empire in the hour of trial.
George R.I.
Admiral Sir John Jellicoe’s reply to the King’s message was as follows:
On behalf of the officers and men of Home Fleet, beg to tender our loyal and dutiful thanks to your Majesty for the gracious message, which will inspire all with determination to uphold the glorious traditions of the past.(Signed)Commander-in-Chief,Home Fleet.
On behalf of the officers and men of Home Fleet, beg to tender our loyal and dutiful thanks to your Majesty for the gracious message, which will inspire all with determination to uphold the glorious traditions of the past.
(Signed)Commander-in-Chief,Home Fleet.
Sir John Jellicoe, on whom the eyes of the nation are fixed, is one of the most distinguished admirals of the sea service. He has wide sea experience, is a splendid administrator, and is at the same time a man of cool and determined judgment.
The appointment of Sir John Jellicoe was in itself of the nature of a romance. He had no small share in shaping the instrument he now commands, and he chose as his Chief of Staff another most distinguished officer, who happens to be his brother-in-law. Sir John Jellicoe and Rear-Admiral Charles Madden served together at the Admiralty on more than one occasion, both having, indeed, been Sea Lords, and they married daughters of Sir Charles Cayzer, Bt.
The Admiralissimo and his chief staff officer are known to be in the most complete accord on matters of strategy and tactics, and were both associated in the creation and equipment of the ships of the Home Fleets on which the fortunes of the British Empire will depend. They were members of the famous Dreadnought Design Committee, and were associated with Admiralof the Fleet, Lord Fisher of Kilverstone, in his many reforms in naval administration.
No officer whom the Admiralty could have selected to go afloat at a juncture of such transcendent importance enjoys so completely the confidence of the naval service as Sir John Jellicoe. In December, 1912, he became a member of the Board of Admiralty, and then vacated the command of the Second Division of the Home Fleet, to which he was appointed over the heads of eleven vice-admirals—a fact which in itself points to the high estimation in which he is held by the naval authorities.
Born on December 5, 1859, he is the son of Captain J. H. Jellicoe. Educated at Rottingdean, Sir John Jellicoe entered the Royal Navy as a cadet on July 15, 1872, passing out of the “Britannia” first of his “batch” by over a hundred marks. In the examination for sub-lieutenant, which rank he attained six years later (December 5, 1878), he took three “firsts,” in itself a remarkable achievement.
On August 23, 1880, he was promoted lieutenant, and two years afterwards, as a lieutenant on board the “Agincourt,” he served in the Egyptian War. He was awarded the Egyptian medal and the Khedive’s bronze star. On his return to England, in the following year, he studied at the Royal Naval College, Greenwich, where he won the special £80 prize for gunnery lieutenants. In May, 1886, while serving on board the “Monarch,” he was awarded the Board of Trade silver medal for gallantry in saving life at sea, by commanding a gig whichwent to the rescue of a stranded ship near Gibraltar, the sea being so heavy that the boat was capsized, but he and the crew were washed ashore. He served also as gunnery lieutenant of the “Colossus,” and on the staff of the “Excellent” gunnery establishment.
Gazetted a commander in 1891, he was for a time employed as assistant to the Director of Naval Ordnance, being subsequently appointed first lieutenant to the “Sans Pareil,” and later to the ill-fated “Victoria,” Admiral Sir George Tryon’s flagship, on the Mediterranean station, which was sunk off Tripoli, on the Syrian coast, in collision with the “Camperdown,” when the admiral, twenty-one officers, and 350 men were drowned. At the time of the collision Commander Jellicoe was on the sick list in his cabin. When the ship capsized he, with the aid of Mr. West, a midshipman, contrived to keep himself afloat till picked up. Commander Jellicoe’s silver medal was lost with other effects in the “Victoria,” and the Board of Trade, so it was reported at the time, intimated that another medal could be obtained on payment.
After serving as commander of the “Ramillies” flagship in the Mediterranean, he was promoted to the rank of captain (January 1st, 1897), and joined the Ordnance Committee. Admiral Sir E. H. Seymour selected him as flag captain in the “Centurion” on the China station. During the expedition to succour the Legations at Pekin in 1900, in which he narrowly escaped death by a severe gunshot wound, Captain Jellicoe commanded the Naval Brigade and acted as ChiefStaff Officer, when he gained not only the C.B., but was awarded by the German Emperor the second class of the Red Eagle with crossed swords.
Returning from China at the end of 1901, he was, in November of that year, appointed to superintend the building by contract of ships of war; he next served as Naval Assistant to the Controller of the Navy, which post he vacated in August, 1903, to take command of the “Drake,” and in February, 1905, he took up the post of Director of Naval Ordnance and Torpedoes, in succession to Captain Barry.
Much has been said about the improvement of good shooting in the Navy, and in this connection considerable praise is due to Admiral Jellicoe. Without his help—so a writer in theUnited Service Journalonce remarked, reflecting a judgment which is known to be well founded—the good work fostered by Admiral Sir Percy Scott would have been heavily handicapped—in fact, impossible; for the then Director of Naval Ordnance proved himself a man of original thought and prompt action, and one of the most capable gunnery experts in the Navy.
During the time he was in command of the “Drake,” he turned it into one of the best shooting ships of the Navy, and while he was at the Admiralty as Director of Naval Ordnance Captain Jellicoe did all that was possible to ensure the guns mounted in ships in the first fighting line being fitted with the most up-to-date day and night sights, as well as to instal a fire-control set of instruments in each ship for“spotting” and controlling at long-range shooting. The fittings of the guns and gunnery appliances generally were also greatly improved during the tenure of his appointment.
From the current Navy Estimates the following particulars are taken of the number of officers and men voted in 1914-15 for the naval service. First the strength of the Reserves is given, then the number of active service ratings and lastly the aggregate mobilised for war:
[6]Includes 300 South African Division.[7]1,562 Ranks and Ratings on the Active List. Royal Fleet Reserve Men and Pensioners have been lent for service under Colonial and Foreign Governments.
[6]Includes 300 South African Division.
[7]1,562 Ranks and Ratings on the Active List. Royal Fleet Reserve Men and Pensioners have been lent for service under Colonial and Foreign Governments.
When war was declared there was no dearth of officers and men for the British Fleet. The presentation of a Supplementary Estimate to Parliament by the Admiralty, after the declaration of hostilities, gave rise to a misunderstanding. This action was a mere formality in order to keep the right side of Treasury procedure, and it did not mean that 67,000 additional officers and men were going to be raised. What happened was that Reservists to the number of about 60,000 were called up and they were forthwith transferred to Vote A., which fixes the number of active service officers and ratings and provides pay for them.
Whereas Parliament provided in the spring of 1914 for an active personnel of 151,000 with 60,000 Reservists, the two totals had to be added together so as to obtain Parliamentary sanction for full pay being provided for 211,000. In addition the new vote left room for a slight actual expansion—consisting of a number of retired officers and a quota of artisan and other skilled ratings to be forthwith raised.
Thus we get an aggregate of 218,000 officers and men for service ashore and afloat. This total includes cadets and boys under training, and approximately 200,000, it may be assumed, were available for service in the Home Fleets and the squadrons in distant seas. It is an axiom that in peace we have more ships than we can man, while in war we shall have a good surplus of men after manning all the ships. When passing from a peace to a war footing, Royal Fleet reservists—well-trained men with from five to seven years’service—and others became available and the Fleet was fully mobilised, having no inconsiderable surplus to make good the casualties of battle.
There is a certain parallel between the circumstances which have brought the commanders-in-chief of the British and German battle fleets into the positions they respectively hold to-day. Just as Admiral Sir John Jellicoe was long since “ear-marked” for the supreme command of the Home Fleets, so was Admiral Friedrich von Ingenohl selected for the control of the German High Seas Fleet years before his appointment was actually gazetted.
The German commander-in-chief, whose flag now flies in the Dreadnought, Friedrich der Grosse, is without doubt one of Europe’s most distinguished naval officers. In a navy where more than elsewhere, a premium is placed upon scientific leadership, this officer early attracted the attention of his superiors by reason of the skill and resourcefulness he displayed during manœuvres. He is said to have specialised in cruiser tactics, and to have been one of the first officers to urge upon the Navy Department the wisdom of adopting the battle-cruiser designwhen that novel conception materialised in the British “Invincible.” He is also known as the leading advocate of that system of tactics which is known in Germany as the “rücksichtslose Offensive,” and which in homely idiom may be translated as “going for” the enemy hammer and tongs.
In a word, Admiral von Ingenohl is the embodiment of the strikingly progressive spirit which pervades the modern German navy. It is by no means a spirit of mere reckless dash, which reckons on gaining a victory solely by impetuous onslaught. Under modern conditions, tactics such as these might well be fatal to those who employed them, owing to the deadly precision of heavy guns and the development of the torpedo. The German school of naval thought favours, instead, a preliminary period of “mosquito warfare,” seeking thus to reduce both the material and the moral strength of an enemy before the actual clash of armoured squadrons takes place. That this idea is faithfully to be adhered to is clear from the opening incidents of the present campaign at sea, which have already shown that reliance is placed on the torpedo and the mine as a preliminary means of diminishing our preponderance in big ships. So far, indeed, the German plan of campaign has been singularly true to the principles advocated by the leading German authorities who have written of naval warfare. They lead us to anticipate a good deal of this “Kleinkrieg” before the High Seas Fleet emerges from cover. On the other hand, it were unwise to suppose that the German Fleet willcontinue to act strictly by the book, especially in view of the character of its commander-in-chief.
In German naval circles Admiral von Ingenohl is known as one of the first German flag officers who completely freed themselves from the military traditions in which the fleet was cradled and has been reared. The German navy, as is well known, was founded as a branch of the army, and its early development proceeded on distinctly military lines. Until the present Emperor came to the Throne the head of the Admiralty was always an army officer, and it followed that, in so far as the different conditions permitted, the strategy and tactics of the fleet were brought into line with those of the land forces. Ships were regarded primarily as units for coast defence, in the most limited sense of the word. This held true far into the nineties, and it is actually less than two decades since Germany first undertook the construction of ships which were specially designed to meet and defeat the foe in open sea. It seems probable that Admiral von Ingenohl owes something of his broader views on naval strategy to the large amount of foreign service he has seen.
Born in 1857 of comparatively humble parents, he entered the navy at the age of 17. The service in those days enjoyed nothing like its present prestige. It offered no attractions to the sons of the upper classes, and was completely overshadowed by the army, then in the zenith of its brilliance and popularity, after the successful war against France. The navy drew a large majority of its officers from a class whose social status wasconsidered scarcely high enough to give its sons the entrée to the army. Proof of this will be seen in the conspicuous absence of naval officers who are hereditary nobles. Admiral von Ingenohl, in common with Grand-Admirals von Tirpitz, von Koester, and several other flag officers, received his patent of nobility as a mark of Imperial favour.
While on his maiden cruise in foreign waters the young officer was privileged to see some fighting. His ship, the old “Vineta,” was one of a small German squadron which was assembled to teach the Chinese pirates a lesson. Nineteen years later he was again in action in the same quarter of the globe, and against the same opponents, when the gunboat “Iltis,” which he commanded, shelled a battery at Tamsui, which had fired on a German steamer. In the intervals of command afloat he was engaged at the Navy Department, where he put in one spell of nearly three and a half years as divisional chief of the ordnance board, and subsequently directed a department of the Admiral Staff. His first important independent command was the battleship “Wörth,” in her day one of the best ships in the navy. He was next appointed to the cruiser “Kaiserin Augusta,” and shortly after to the “Hertha,” a more powerful ship of the same class. After another short interval of shore work he was appointed to command the Imperial yacht “Hohenzollern,” where, of course, he came under the direct eye of the Kaiser, who was quick to recognise his qualities.