20,000 ran through a blockading British fleet to various points they would be most extremely lucky.
The German fleet might of course plan to sail for some apparent destination such as Canada in order to 'draw the British fleet after it'; but since to sail it would have to break the blockade, it would be brought to action long before it reached any distant point, and in any case the lighter blockading vessels would still remain in the way of any fleet of transports. The 'decoyed away' idea is altogether and in every way an absurd one to any careful student of naval problems.
From all of which it is abundantly clear that a German invasion would have to be accomplished as a 'bolt from the blue' in time of peace. The landing of the invaders on English shores would have to be the first sign that a state of war existed or could possibly exist. That is to say:—
(1) Nearly 100,000 men would have to be massed on the German coast without exciting suspicion.
(2) The necessary vessels to carry them and their supplies—something like two hundred ships at least—would also have to be collected without exciting any suspicion.
(3) The British fleet would have to be disqualified from arriving on the scene too immediately after the disembarkation.
(4) The invading army would have to march on London (or the naval bases) carrying all before it.
