[Footnote 212:  Vice-Admiral Kirchhoff:  “England’s Willkur” ("England’s Tyranny"), p. 1 et seq.]

All German naval writers whine in unison concerning the “protection of private property in naval warfare.”  The shoe appears to pinch at that point, but the complaints sound hollow when made by a nation which has shown so little respect for private property in land warfare.

“Turkey was compelled to hand over Cyprus; in return she received an assurance of protection from England.  What the latter understands by ‘protection’ we have learned from her recent actions.  The behaviour of England’s last naval commission in Constantinople speaks volumes.  The very men who were in Turkey’s pay, destroyed the weapons (ships, i.e., cannon, machinery, etc.) entrusted to their care."[213]

[Footnote 213:  Ibid., p. 31.]

Besides Kirchhoff, several other writers charge the British naval officers who were in Turkey’s service before the outbreak of war, with acts of sabotage.  Another writer (Heinrich Norden, late missionary in Duala, German Cameroons) sinks a little lower and states that English officers were guilty of thieving when Duala was captured.

“Indeed, it is not saying too much when I maintain that the true historical purpose of this war, is only half fulfilled if we do not bring England to her knees—­cost what it may in blood and treasure.  That much we owe to our children and their children.  We will not only be victorious, victory is only half the work; we must annihilate the power of our enemy.

“All our dearly-bought victories in East and West will be of no avail if, at the conclusion of peace, we have not conquered and compelled England to accept our terms.  There can never be justice or morality on earth, or keeping of treaties, or recognition of moral international obligations, till the power of the most faithless, hypocritical nation which ever existed, has been finally broken and lies prostrate on the ground.  So long ago as 1829 Goethe said to Foerster:  ’In no land are there so many hypocrites and sanctimonious dissemblers as in England.’

“We must wait in patience and with confidence in our leaders for the final settlement which the future will bring.  The men in our navy are burning to imitate the deeds of their comrades on land.  Whenever an opportunity has arisen, they have shown themselves equal to the enemy.  Our navy knows, and that is a consolation for the men during inactivity, that the lofty task of breaking England’s power will fall to their share.  The men know that the final purpose of this world war can only be attained with their help, they know what is before them, and that the enormous stake demands and deserves all they have to give.

“In this time of trial we can best help by waiting in patience.  The fleet’s turn will come; the fleet created by our Kaiser will fulfil its mission.  Everyone of us recognizes that a well-thought-out plan is behind all this; even the enemy has premonitions of it.