Page:Can Germany Invade England?.djvu/127

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been validated.
VOYAGE, DISEMBARKATION, AND—AFTER
115

been used by some novel-writers for landing troops, but it is doubtful whether any one else would use them for this purpose. The approach to the small rivers is difficult, and Sheerness and Harwich, with their quota of torpedo craft a couple of hours off, would loom over any attempt in that area."[1]

This verdict, and it is one that every experienced officer, naval or military, will confirm, further limits our choice to the portion of the coast lying between the Witham, on the north side of the Wash, and the Stour, along which " there are beaches and small harbours such as Yarmouth suitable enough, but still rather too close to Harwich to be comfortable."[2]

I doubt the epithet suitable really applying to any of the harbours, for they all lie up shallow rivers difficult to navigate even by small ships at low water, inaccessible to large

  1. Is Invasion Impossible? pp. 35, 36.
  2. Ibid. p. 36.