GERMAN NAVY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1714, 3 April 1913, Page 6

GERMAN NAVY.

PROPOSED NEW TYPE OF SHIP

"Tho Engineer" gives details of a formidable and entirely new type of warship which, it is stated, is being constructed for tlio German Admiralty. Tlio new typo is described as "speedier" than , any Dreadnought. It lies low iii the water, not much more than awash, aud it lights end on. The target it presents to tho enemy's lire is a bow shield sloping backwards, aud of such shape and thickness as to be virtually impenetrable. "it serves as the carnage oi a single gun of maximum power, luinished v.iui projectiles that play the part ol aerial torpedoes; ana tue gun remains perpetually screened, except at the moment of iinug. The vessel can keep the te;i in ail weathers, aud can ligni eri'ecciveiy at the longest ranges. Twenty of these destroyers can be built lor the cost cf a biu&ie super-Dreadnought, and the German naval 'experts hold, with ample reason, that a super-Dreadnought must inevitably succumb if attacked by even iive of such small craft." It is suited by tne writer of the articlo in "Tho Engineer" that tho attention of the .British Government was drawn to tins type in a letter sent to Mr. Asquith some lour years ago on behalf of a group of Continental engineers, who had been made acquainted with a certain . design prepared conjointly by the late . Sir Edward itecd (a former Chief Constructor ,oi tho isavy) aud tho writer of the article. This design was prepared in 1884, and the engineers alluded to had elaborated the design in accordance with the progress of naval architecture and armament between 1881 and 19U9, and had also taken part in the development of submarine vessels for naval purposes. "Mr. Asquith formally acknowledged tho receipt of the letter," says the writer, "and there the matter dropped, so lar as England was concerned. "A dilfercnt i'ate, however, awaited an analogous communication addressed by the same group of engineers to a -very high quarter in Germany. Action thereupon was at onco taken under conditions of a most profound secrecy, which, have been successfully maintained for nearly lour years." ' . , Matters have now reached a development of such magnitude, however, adds the writer, '■ that oertain particulars ,ot what Germany is doing have begun to leak out. ; Ho considers that "in view of tho astute attitude that has just been taken up by Grand Admiral von Tirpitz, it seem* c.esirable for tho 'British public to be given an inkling of the-true state of affairs.' The German Dreadnoughts he declares to be a ruse. "They loom large in popular estimation—and, it is to bo feared, in that of tho British Admiralty also—as the first lino of battle but in reality tliey are intended to play a secondary part', Tho stress of conflict will lio with the German destroyers and submarines."^ In 'regard to submarines, tho writer makes the'assertion that a German physicist of eminence has invented a way of bottling up light and redistributing it round a submerged submarine. In the daytime, when tho surface of the 'water is absorbing light, these rays can bo caught up and reconverted into light under tlio . sea to enable the commander of the submerged- submarine to soo his way fairly, well. This means; .ho. claims, that German submarines can bo employed for relatively distant expeditions without detection, as they need not show themselves in tlio daytime, and can' Wait for night beforo coining to tlio Surface to renew their stock of air. They can put mine-fields out of action, and even maintain blockades of rivers and ports without being seriously interfered" with by an enemy's vessels at the surface. - - "Under these circumstances," lie concludes, "it is hot to be wondered at that Admiral ,von Tirpitz should, in. his calculated- disclosures .to- the Budget Committee of tto Reichstag, have sought to concentrate tho attention and tlio efforts of the " British naval authorities on; the building of . Dreadnoughts."