Although the British Navy held superiority over the German Navy in ships
not of the dreadnought type, the balance in dreadnoughts was virtually
even.
Dreadnought Supremacy.
It was stated in Parliament that in the year 1916 Germany, according to
her naval law, would have thirty-six dreadnoughts, a number which would
involve the building by this country of forty-four such vessels in the
same period, toward which the Government was only providing two in the
current year. It was also stated that in the year 1911 Germany would
possess thirteen dreadnoughts and Great Britain only twelve, which
statement was founded upon reasonable assumptions. Could Germany reckon
upon the continuance of such a relative position, the advantage to her
would be very great.
It was at this critical moment that the German Emperor indited his
letter to the First Lord of the Admiralty, which is printed below. When
the fact became known there was a good deal of public feeling aroused
both in this country and abroad. Lord Tweedmouth stated that the letter
was a private letter and purely personal. Prince von Buelow informed the
Reichstag that the letter was of both a private and political character,
adding some remarks concerning the "purely defensive character of our
naval programme which," said the Chancellor, "cannot be emphasized too
frequently.
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