The German Army can
develop its entire strength only in a war which the folk approve, that
is, when a defensive war has been forced upon them. That this is true
will have been realized by our friends in the United States before this
comes into their hands.
The German fleet is in like manner a weapon of defense. It was very
small up to the end of the last century, but has since then been
consistently built up according to the ground principles which Mr.
Roosevelt has so often in his powerful manner laid down for the American
fleet. The question has often been asked, what is there for the German
fleet to defend, since the German coastline is so short? The answer
is that the strength of a fleet must not be made to depend upon the
length of coastlines, but upon how many ships and how much merchandise
go out from and enter the harbors, how great oversea interests there
are, how large the colonies are and how they are situated, and, finally,
how strong the sea powers are with which Germany may have to carry on a
war and how they are situated. To meet all these requirements there is
but one remedy, namely, either that our fleet shall be strong enough to
prevent the strongest sea power from conducting war against us, or that,
if war does come, it shall be able so to battle against the mightiest
opponent that the latter shall be seriously weakened.
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