THE STOSCH ERA 35

which I spoke above, all consular affairs—in short, all the petty matters of the sea were this indefatigable man's field of activity. He broke down in ruthless fashion the old tradition of giving preference to the machinery of foreign, countries, and of England in particular. Even if this youthful period of German industry brought to the fore abundant cases of the so-called " children's ailments " of machinery, the succeeding period has been grateful to our old chief for his policy.

Stosch took up again the broken thread of the Hansa; he was the first to feel his way towards a future for Germany overseas. He did a great deal also to breathe a belligerent spirit into the navy. Mistakes were made, but in those days it was not a trifling matter; a grave earnestness characterized our work.