tion—a difficult matter, having regard to their different sizes and powers, and to the rule that the speed of the slowest must determine the pace.[1] Not being a sailor, I shall not attempt to decide whether the three fleets will merge into one, protected by all Germany's cruisers, destroyers, and torpedo-boats, or whether each fleet will sail independently, escorted by its own quota of warships of every kind.
But most naval officers will, I think, agree with General Bronsart von Schellendorff that a troopship to-day '* is quite defenceless when opposed to a modern man-of-war, which can sink it without difficulty. Troopships must therefore keep outside the range of an enemy's guns or torpedoes. For this reason it is very inadvisable that a fleet of
- ↑ "It will be borne in mind that a body of transports is always a tactical weakness in the day of battle, and will probably lower the fleet speed of a number of high-powered ships-of-war." —Naval Strategy, p. 265, by Captain A. T. Mahan, D.C.L., LL.D., United States Navy.
