German and British Sea Warfare
During the last week the British Navy has proved that .t can successfully carry on war against enemy shipping or_ . in waters that the Germans have hitherto thought safe. Ti-, torpedoing of the Heddernheim,' on its way from Norm_ to Bremen, and of the ' Edmund Hugo Stinnes IV ' west Jutland by a British submarine has caused consternation id German shipping circles; the Atlantic and North Sea rouI:. across the now vulnerable area of the Skagerrak cannot b regarded as safe for the transport of iron ores. The method by which British submarines destroyed these ships present, a typical contrast between British and German sea-warfare. In each case the enemy vessel had fifteen minutes' warninv, and full opportunity was given for the boats to be launched and manned. At about the same time, and within a period of two days, German submarines, unable to deal with British vessels, attacked six Danish vessels and one Nor- wegian without warning or any provision for saving the lives of the crews. In the face of such incidents, involving murderous attacks by Germans upon neutrals, the Nor- wegian protest to the British Government regarding the alleged infringement of Norwegian neutrality in Norwegian territorial waters are a natural but unreal formality. The real grievance is that of Britain, which sees the long line of the Norwegian coast used as a shelter for German war vessels and merchant vessels carrying iron ores to enemy ports. This may be in accordance with the letter of the laws governing neutrality. It is not in accordance with the spirit.
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