(_d_) The German Zeppelins, as their numbers increased, were of great assistance to the enemy for scouting, each one being, in _favourable weather_, equal to at least two light cruisers for such a purpose. (_e_) Account is not taken in the British figures of the Harwich force, as this force could not be counted upon to effect concentration with the remainder of the Grand Fleet at the German selected moment. (_f_) The British cruisers, not being very modern, lacked the speed necessary for efficiency as scouts. They were very slightly faster than the battleships of the “Dreadnought” type, and, owing to their lack of speed, they were awkwardly placed if they came within range of an enemy Battle Squadron or Battle Cruiser Squadron. On the other hand, they were very superior in fighting qualities to the German light cruisers. It will be seen from the above statements that the enemy had by far his best opportunity from the naval point of view in the early months of the War, as he was then much nearer equality of strength with the Grand Fleet than at any later period. A carefully laid trap, which included minefields and submarines, with the High Sea Fleet as a bait, might have been very effective at any period of the War in inflicting considerable losses on us. The Germans had their best opportunities between November, 1914, and February, 1915. After April, 1915, the situation got steadily worse for the enemy. The lesson of vital importance to be drawn from this review of relative naval strength, is that if this country in the future decides to rely for safety against raids or invasion on the Fleet alone, it is essential that we should possess a considerably greater margin of superiority over a possible enemy _in all classes of vessels_ than we did in August, 1914. CHAPTER III THE GRAND FLEET AND ITS BASES The Grand Fleet may be said to have come into being only at the outbreak of the War, when it was so christened. As with the name, so with the organisation. The great majority of the really effective ships in the Grand Fleet were the outcome of the policy initiated by Admiral of the Fleet Lord Fisher of Kilverstone when he took up the appointment of First Sea Lord in 1904 in the Administration of the Earl of Selborne. One of Lord Fisher’s first acts--and he carried through a number of other changes which reacted favourably on the efficiency of the Fleet for war--was the introduction of the “all-big-gun” type of battleship, of which the _Dreadnought_, laid down at Portsmouth on October 2nd, 1905, was the earliest example. She was closely followed by the three “all-big-gun” battle-cruisers of the “Invincible” class, which were of the same programme--1905–6. Much criticism was levelled at the _Dreadnought_, but even more at the principle embodied in the battle-cruisers--ships with the speed of cruisers, but the same calibre armament as battleships. The War has fully justified Lord Fisher’s conception.