ATTACKS ON CONVOYS
NAVAL CRITIC'S VIEW. Admiral Henderson, in the course of n critical article in tliu "Daily Alail, refers lo the Herman attacks oil sea couvu«, taking I'or illustration tho tot attack oJf liie Shetlauds. It was obvious that the enemy sooner or later woulu through his spies in'tlio Norwegian polls know of the existence of these convoys and would be likely to take an opportunity of attacking them. He wou <1 know the composition, speed, and dsstinatioi) of the convoy and the timo of its prooaljle or actual departure, which would be wired to him and transmitted to the wailing cruisers, whose task was an easy 0110 against only anti-submarine protection oi ; the convoy, and tho absence ot a covering squadron which should have been within wireless call by daylight ot the 17th. It' was attacked at i a.m., by which time, estimating the distance between Norway and the fehetlands> aslß- - its speed at eight knots, and tiiat it left at 3 p.m. (ft Norwegian report euvs in the afternoon) on tho previous day, it would have been about 60 miles from the Shetlands, or less it its speed was greater, a. comparatively short (listo nee even from Seapa 1* low for ft coveiing squadron to proceed. . A paragraph of the Admiralty communication,- which would'lako no one but a landlubber 111, states: "The enemy raiders succeeded m ovadinsr the British watching squadron on the long 'lark nights both in their hui; ried outwar.l dash and homeward flight, but this doai not imply that there was any determined attempt to cut them oil on their way home. As thel distance from Heligoland to the scene of the at.taok is approximately 431 miles, and some of the time must be allowed loi the transmission of information ana orders; it would, allowing for 5 hours, have necessitated a speed or 29 knots, ffliich inclines one to the opinion .thAt thev wero previously at an appointed rendezvous, waiting instructions. Unless they wero new craft of verv great speed. The episode shows the laeli ot inslr . u . cl j ed imagination at headquarters, which ignores the .historical fact that much of the lighting of the past was brought about by the attack and' defence of convoys. Such operations give of showing our mastery in the and of laying traps, as could ha\e bSen done in this instance, which ivou d foil any attempts of the enemy to "J' 6 " 6 '® and give the fighting chances the Navj so Ill in l the S Hoiiso of Commons Commander Bellah K.N., asked for an independent inquiry'into this affair, but was put of with the roply that there< b ° h ? n ; m ?mva i lid tfdetermine wliat is the respon,s needed o de eiim ftig am , S &., ? lures and whether we have, in othei lai j , seMe , the best sort of the ps\cl g' naval operations Wc wir It * e 2 P.?v?,"e«r .... so lo revise the stnft at tfie Ad lniralty as lo secure our utmost efficiency in tho superior direction of and to relegate administrative ability to its proper functions
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Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 76, 22 December 1917, Page 10
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515ATTACKS ON CONVOYS Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 76, 22 December 1917, Page 10
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