oats; and the
auxiliary cruisers _Prinz Eitel Friedrich_ (interned), _Holger,
Kronprinz Wilhelm_ (interned), and _Macedonia_. Also the destroyer
_G-196_, the mine layer _Albatross_, and the auxiliary cruise _Meteor_.

In retaliation for having her flag swept from the seas, Germany's
submarines, during the second six months of the war, had sunk a
total of 153 merchant ships, including those belonging to neutral
countries as well as to her enemies. The total tonnage of these
was about 500,000 tons; 1,643 persons died in going down with these
ships.

Not of the least importance were the precedents that were established,
or attempted to be established, by Germany in conducting naval
warfare with her submarine craft. In a note delivered to the United
States Government, the German Government declared that British
merchant vessels were not only armed and instructed to resist or
even attack submarines, but often disguised as to nationality.
Under such circumstances it was assumed to be impossible for a
submarine commander to conform to the established custom of visit
and search. Accordingly, vessels of neutral nations were urgently
warned not to enter the submarine war zone. The war zone which she
proclaimed about Great Britain had no precedent in history, and
it immediately brought to her door a number of controversies with
neutrals, particularly the United States. The sinking of liners
carrying passengers claiming citizenship in neutral countries was
another precedent, which had the same effect with regard to diplomatic
exchanges.

Predictions that had been made long before the war came were found
to be worthless; there were those who had predicted that Germany
in the event of war with England would give immediate battle with
her largest ships; but twelve months went by without an actual
battle between superdreadnoughts. "Der Tag" had not come. There
were those who had predicted that the British navy would force
the German ships out of their protected harbors. "We shall dig
the rats out of their holes," said Mr. Winston Churchill, British
Secretary of State for the Navy in the early months of the war.
Mr. Churchill was removed from his position, and twelve months
passed by with the German ships still in their "holes."

Certain lessons had been taught naval authorities of all nations
through the actual use of the modern battleship in war. The first
year showed that the largest ships must have very high speed and
long gu