le for the Al- Germany's im- bre the war ly have ended t did. As it
k of the few hich penetrat- riously ham- or a time and ns to organise Unfortunately ction of the date left the unsupported, might have
b little more
he position is ent.
Russia,
surface squa- flotilla of
e capable of
g,
perhaps
SKAGER
(BYL/" NELIBOLAND-
Ostersund
ESLAND
Vaasa-
*Kuopio
FINLAND
LADOGA
Leningrad
Helsingfors
LAND
ESTONIA
B
Pskov
Riga LATVIA
Minsk
RUSSIA
Metre
Polotsk
, LITHUANIA:
Kannas
(ANY)
GERMAN
Poznan
Warsaw POLAND
MLS.
100
200
Northern Germany and the Baltic States.
policy
a standstill, war, she would respect the neu- ing an "offensive” ́ naval between Swe- trality of the Baltic States mention- have appeared in the Russian pap-
ed. con-
ers, including the official organ of
at this
to the Ger- In Russia, indeed, it is accepted the naval staff. de evident by as a foregone conclusion that if The decision to build battleships more import- war broke out Germany would of great size and gun-power as. effect the seizure of the Latvian and soon as circumstances permit, the
journals.
t one of the Estonian coasts by a coup de main, construction of heavy cruisers with man strategy If Russia elected to
7in guns and a wide radius, pursue #
Y
of
IN THE BALTIC
the substitution
of
in the current building programme are facts all pointing in the same direction. It seems clear, there. fore, that the Russian Navy is preparing itself for dynamic opera- tions well outside the confined wat- ers of the Finnish Gulf, a contin- gency which probably accounts for the marked attention now paid in the German Press to Russian naval
preparations.
Use As Natural Bulwark
The Baltic States, as Mr. Got- tlieb has pointed out, constitute the natural bulwark against any Ger- Fin- man advance to the Gulf of land. If successful, such an ad- vance would reduce Russia to a mere cipher in the naval strategi- 'cal sense and cut her off from all access to open water except by way of the White Sea,
the Russian strictly defensive policy at sea she action, and Gulf of Fin- could fairly count on keeping her large ocean-going submarines for it would be fleet intact, since navigational con many of the small coastal U-boats
submarine to ditions in the eastern area of the sea. This aim, Gulf of Finland are such that the achieved un- fleet would be immune to naval at- the use
of tack provided it did not venture to the Gulf of the westward of a line drawn from she does not Narva Bay to the coast of Finland Both Danzig Bold Tactics Advocated mote from the Behind this line minefields and rpose indicat- tortuous channels could be relied on and Riga in to keep enemy warships at a res- and the Dagoe pectful distance, and the only as- ent under Es- sault the Russian Fleet need fear ould be ideal would be from aircraft. What tac- knowing what tics the Russian Baltic Fleet would 3 "objective" pursue in such a war as. I am kein Gebot envisaging is a secret, known only aw) it is diffi- to the naval staff in Moscow. There n the event of are, however, indications from sev- eral quarters that a purely passive attitude would not be adopted.
Last year's "purge" in the high- er command is credibly reported to have been due to disapproval by the
Viewing the position in this Soviet junta of the defensive stra light, since Germany's reoccupa- tegy advocated by the then Com- tion of Memel, it will readily be mander-in-Chief of the Baltic Fleet. recognised that the Baltic States, Moscow desired that the Fleet hitherto relegated to the back- should prepare itself for vigorous ground, may one day assume a new intervention in case of war, and importance in international affairs. that the plan of keeping the Fleet idle in the Bay of Leningrad, sec. ure behind its mine fields and shoals, should be discarded in fav- our of one which postulated an "all in" offensive by every naval arm, with the object of securing either the command of the Eastern Bal- tic or at least of cutting German communications with Scandinavia.
Royal Fu- e at their
In this connection it is not with- out significance that in the past 18- months numerous articles advocat-
By George McManus
FACTS
FOR THE 10 H.P.
MOTORIST
The Vauxhall 10-four is the most. economical Ten in the world: did 43.4 m.p.b. in a recent R.A.C. Trial, Reliability is unquestioned Vauxhall 10-four covered 2,275 miles in The Monte Carlo Rally, without losing a mark.
The Vauxhall 10-four has indepen- dent Springing. Hydraulic Brakes, Controlled Synchromesh, All-Steel Construction.
and
May we demonstrate Vauxhall's fine performance
petrol economy?
VAUXHALL
TRY ALSO THE 12 H.P.
HONG KONG HOTEL GARAGE
Stubbs Rd.
Tel. 27778-9
At the
Repulse Bay Hotel
Geo. Pio-Ulski's String Quintette
DURING SUNDAY TIFFINS
1.p.m. to 2.30 p.m.
A la Carte & Table d'Hote
THE HONG KONG & SHANGHAI HOTELS, LTD.
11 OUTSTANDING FEATURES OF
COMOY'S "WONDER PIPE"
FINEST CIALTY BRUYERE ROOT
| INTERIOR OF BOWL CARBONIZED READY TO SHOKE
FLUID-TIGHT WASHER TRAPS ALL MOISTURE
COOLING CHAMBER
REINFORCED JIONT
(Linbreakable)
FINEST QUALITY MOUTHPIECE (Hand Hade)
THE BITE SPECIALLY
SHAPED FOR PERFECT COMFORT
דין
WHY?
AT-
YOU'LL ALWAYS
HAVE THE
POLICE LOOKIN' FOR HIM BY
MISTAKE-
CLEAR CHANNEL- DELIVERS ONLY
PURE SMOKE
HOND
SAVES TOBACCO-FOR ALL IS ENDKED TO A WHITE ASH ·
INLET FOR SHOKE & NICOTINE
THE BRO
FOKEN CONDUTE, OUTLET FOR SMOKE
COMOYS GRAND SLAM PATENT PIPE
There is a wide range
shapes to choose from at
INGENOHL'S CIGAR STORES "LA PERLA DEL ORIENTE
Page 15Page 16