le, we ought to shirk no sacrifices to realize it. Such a canal
might prove of decisive value, since our main prospect of success
depends on our ability to break up the forces of the enemy by continuous
unexpected attacks, and on our thus finding an opportunity to inflict
heavy losses upon him.

As regards the development of the fleet itself, we must push on the
completion of our battle-fleet, which consists of ships of the line and
the usual complement of large cruisers. It does not possess in its
present condition an effective value in proportion to its numbers. There
can be no doubt on this point. Five of the ships of the line, of the
Kaiser class, are quite obsolete, and the vessels of the Wittelsbach
class carry as heaviest guns only 24-centimetre cannons, which must be
considered quite inadequate for a sea-battle of to-day. We are in a
worse plight with regard to our large cruisers. The five ships of the
Hansa class have no fighting value; the three large cruisers of the
Prince class (_Adalbert, Friedrich Karl, Heinrich_) fulfil their purpose
neither in speed, effective range, armament, nor armour-plating. Even
the armoured cruisers _Fuerst Bismarck, Roon, York, Gneisenau,_ and
_Scharnhorst_ do not correspond in any respect to modern requirements.
If we wish, therefore, to be really ready for a war, we must shorten the
time allowed for building, and replace as rapidly as possible these
totally useless vessels--nine large cruisers and five battleships--by
new and thoroughly effective ships.

Anyone who regards the lowering thunder-clouds on the political horizon
will admit this necessity. The English may storm and protest ever so
strongly: care for our country must stand higher than all political and
all financial considerations. We must create new types of battleships,
which may be superior to the English in speed and fighting qualities.
That is no light task, for the most modern English ships of the line
have reached a high stage of perfection, and the newest English cruisers
are little inferior in fighting value to the battleships proper. But
superiority in individual units, together with the greatest possible
readiness for war, are the only means by which a few ships can be made
to do, at any rate, what is most essential. Since the Krupp guns possess
a certain advantage--which is not, in fact, very great--over the English
heavy naval guns, it is possible to gain a start in this department, and
to equip our shi