The German sea ,policy of " making a solitude "
round the British Isles renders -the resignation of Grand-Admiral von Tirpitz the more curious, for one would have thought that there never was al policy more after his own savage heart. Messages from Berlin! only deepen the paradox, as no doubt they are intended to do. A wireless message from Berlin to the German Embassy at Washing- ton says that the resignation means no change whatever in sub-. marine warfare, and then in the very next sentence we have that following statement, which is no doubt sent to the address of the ' American Government : " In some quarters it is believed that his resignation is connected with the Emperor's decision not to extend submarine warfare beyond the limits -announced to-neutrals' in the Memorandum and-not to direct it against neutral ships."' It is noticeable that the German Emperor's message, of farewell to von Tirpitz, though expressed in gracious enough language, is not at, all warm/towards the creator of tho German Navy. All we can say—and this is certain is that there is a rift somewhere in the German lute ; that the German rulers have reached a crisis and know it ; and that, in spite of von Tirpitz's retirement, there will be more, not less,. frightfulness. It seems possible that von Tirpitz's resignation is a "'blind."
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