The German Fleet / Being The Companion Volume to "The Fleets At War" and "From Heligoland To Keeling Island

THE GERMAN FLEET
BEING THE COMPANION VOLUME TO THE FLEETS AT WAR AND FROM HELIGOLAND TO KEELING ISLAND.
ARCHIBALD HURD
AUTHOR (JOINT) OF GERMAN SEA-POWER, ITS RISE, PROGRESS AND ECONOMIC BASIS.
HODDER AND STOUGHTON
LONDON NEW YORK TORONTO
MCMXV
CONTENT

In the history of nations there is probably no chapter more fascinating and arresting than that which records the rise and fall and subsequent resurrection of German sea-power.
In our insular pride, conscious of our glorious naval heritage, we are apt to forget that Germany had a maritime past, and that long before the German Empire existed the German people attained pre-eminence in oversea commerce and created for its protection fleets which exercised commanding influence in northern waters.
It is an error, therefore, to regard Germany as an up-start naval Power. The creation of her modern navy represented the revival of ancient hopes and aspirations. To those ambitions, in their unaggressive form, her neighbours would have taken little exception; Germany had become a great commercial Power with colonies overseas, and it was natural that she should desire to possess a navy corresponding to her growing maritime interests and the place which she had already won for herself in the sun.