NAVAL WARFARE

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 67, 13 December 1920, Page 5

NAVAL WARFARE

"CONFIDENCE IN CAPITAL SHIPS SHAKEN

DIFFICULTY OF COMBATING

SUBMERSIBLES

By Tel«r&pb-Pre»« AißOoiatlon-Oopyrijht

London, December fl v Rear-Admiral Sydney Hall, writing under the heading "Qur Obsolescent Navy," contends that the Fleet i? totally uufitted for present conditions. "We were closer to ruin during the war than was known. Confidence in the capital ship was shaken. The Grand Fleet, supported; by the flee\b of our Allies, was impotent whilst we hovered on the fringe of disaster. There is a firm belief that if Germany had used the submarine against-the warships instead of concentrating upon merchantmen, 6he would have won the war. Everyone knows, what troublo there was over the capture of the Emden. The difficulty in the next war will be lb combat a squadron of submersible Emdens already at sea." The writer concludes: "It is significant that Germany's attack's on' merchanlships'ajinoyed the neutrals, and this culminated in the entry of America into the war and the Germans' defeat."—"The Times." UNITED STATES NAVAL PROGRAMME NOT AFFECTED BY FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS' DECISIONS. (Eec. December 12, 5.5 p.m.) Washington, December 11. Mr. J. Daniels, commenting on the announcement that Britain had decided to suspend naval construction until the les60iis of the war had been worked out, stated that foreign Governments' decisions would not all'ect the United' States' naval programme.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assu.