NAVAL SENSATION

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 31, 31 October 1919, Page 7

NAVAL SENSATION

ADMIRAL SIR PERCY SCOTT ON NAVAL UNPREPAREDNESS

"NOT A DOG'S CHANCE" AT JUTLAND

OFFICIAL INCOMPETENCE CONDEMNED

By Telegraph—Press Ansociation-Cqpyrighi London, October 27. Admiral Sir Percy Scott, in a book on tho Navy, condemns the Admiralty system by which the civilian element is given undue influence. It offers, ho I says, no inducements to enterprise ami originality. Too much red tape . was tho cause of delay and prevented rapid and decisive action, and hence confusion. At the outbreak of the war there was a. lack of mines and minesweepers and other pi'olectieii ag;unst mines, u great lack of anti-submarine protection, and no safe harbour for Hie Grand Fleet. Gunnery was especially defective, and also the torpedoes. lie olfered his services to improve the gunnery, but was told the matter was veil in hand. Eventually he was appointed Gunnery Adviser three months later, lie mentions tho delay.in providing depth charges as typical of the general mishandling of the submarine menace. The first design was submitted in October, 1911, but it was not used till 1910. The Admiralty greatly missed tho vigour of Lord Fisher after he resigned. The Battle of Jutland. The British guns in the Battle of Jutland, Sir Percy Scott says, were generally outranged by the German guns, owing to the delay in supplying the ships with the system of director firing (by which all the guns of a ship can be aimed and lived by one man)'. Lord Jellicoe lind L'ood reasons for not pursuing the Germans in the Jutland battle, because, the Grand Fleet was . not properly equipped for night fighting, whilo tho German Fleet was. This was due to the many years bad systeiu of administration at the Admiralty. Important paiMrs took nearly a year to circulate round the Department. .. One of tho most important actions of the war was delayed becauso the papers wero lost for three months. Torpedoes were so badly fitted that they went under tho German ships. Only eight of our battleships were fitted with gunnery controls. Bad organisation permitted tho enemy to escape to the Pacific to prey upon commerce, whilst the ships sunk at Coronel were sacrificed because they were rot fitted with gunnery control. The Admiralty's delay in introducing depth charges, which were recommended in 1911, involved the Empire in a loss of ,£2UO,U(Hi,OOO.

. 'Admiral Scott went to Scapa Flow in November. iflU, and Lord Jollicoc told him of the terrible state of' affairs. lie said ho was obliged to stay at Scapn, bat the anchorage, was unsafe, and-any night'submarines might send the Grand Fleet to Hid bottom. Lord Jellicce went" into the Jutland battle with only six ships completely fitted ■ with the director firing system. Several ships were without primary armament, .while the shells and searchlights were inferior to those of the Germans. ' ; Tho German guns had thirty degrees' elevation, ours had only fifteen. All. our guns were outranged. We had not n dog's chance. If the Germans had had half-a-dozen men. of the, stamp of the British submarine, commanders the fleet would have been destroyed early in the war.

Admiral Scott discloses that he was offered the command of the naval attack on the Dardanelles, but refused because he thought it an impossible task. for our inefficient ships.—Aus.-N.Z. Gablo Assn.

THE WISEST ECONOMY. SPEECH BY LORD BEATTY. London, October US. Lord Realty, in a speech at the Leath-er-sellers' luncheon, declared that the Navy must bear a share of the economy, but the, wisest economy was essential to our future, as the Empire depended upon the sea. The Navy was responsible for the security of the vast lines of communicalion'linking the great Dominions with the Motherland. .Tire Navy was our insurance, which could not foe overlooked. Tho Empire would fall to the ground, if the Navy was wiped out — Renter.

THE MORAL OF FELTON'S WIN A SERIOUS QUESTION FOR ENGLISHMEN. (Rec. October 30, 11.30 p.m.) London, October 28. The "Manchester Guardian," in •• referring to Folton's win, says that it fears it is a sad truth that in professional or amateur sport of any .. kind which Australians or New Zealanders take up they have some advantage over Englishmen. "The records of sport confirm tho impression of the extraordinary physical excellor.ee and high ■ vitality of Australasian troops in the war. We must find out whut is the matter and rectify it."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.