_St.
Georg_. The register of battleships was supplemented with ten light
cruisers of exceptionally light displacement, the highest being only
3,966 tons. Scouting was their chief function. Austria had, also, 18
destroyers, 63 torpedo boats, and 6 submarines.

Such were the respective strengths of the opponents on that day in July,
1914, when the Crown Prince of Austria-Hungary lost his life. For ten
years the officers of the navy created by the German Admiral von Tirpitz
had at all dinners come to their feet, waved their wine glasses and had
given the famous toast "Der Tag"--to the day on which the English and
German naval hosts would sally forth to do battle with each other. "Der
Tag" found both forces quite ready, though the British naval authorities
stole a march on their German rivals in the matter of mobilization.

It had been the custom for years in the British navy to assemble the
greater part of the British ships during the summer at the port of
Spithead, where, decorated with bunting, with flags flying, with
visitors in holiday spirit, and with officers and men in smart dress,
the vessels were reviewed by the king on the royal yacht.

But in the eventful year of 1914, perhaps by accident, perhaps by
design, for the truth may never be known, the review had a different
aspect. There was no gaiety. The number of ships assembled this time was
greater than ever before--216 actual fighting ships passed slowly before
the royal yacht--there were no flags, no bunting, no holiday crowds, no
smart dress for officers and men. Instead, the fleet was drawn up ready
for battle, with decks cleared, guns uncovered, steam up, and magazines
replenished. During the tense weeks in which the war clouds gathered
over southern Europe this great fighting force remained in the British
home waters, and when, at fifteen minutes after midnight on August 4,
"Der Tag" had come, this fleet sailed under sealed orders. And
throughout the seven seas there were sundry ships flying the Union Jack
which immediately received orders by cable and by wireless.

Of the disposition of the naval forces of Germany less was known. Her
greatest strength was concentrated in the North Sea, where the island of
Helgoland, the Gibraltar of the north, and the Kiel Canal with its exits
to the Baltic and North Seas, furnished excellently both as naval bases
and impenetrable protection. Throughout the rest of the watery surface
of the globe were eleven German wars