AIR CHALLENGE

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 22, 27 January 1938, Page 9

AIR CHALLENGE

THE NAVAL ANSWER

'BOMB-PROOF' VESSELS

Ho: / the naval constructor is ing the air threat to the battleship is revealed by certain data now avail-' able, writes Hector Bywates in the "Daily Telegraph and Morning Post." They show that Britain, the United States. Trance, and Germany are building capital ships of such enormous strength that they should be able to defy not air attack alone but the heaviest blows administered by gun, torpedo, or mine—weapons which naval authorities consider to be mdre dangerous than aircraft bombs. The battleships now building m America and Germany, which are believed to have niuch in common with the British vessels of the King George V class, are designed on the principle of a .Chinese "puzzle- box," in that two, if not three, separate inner hulls are'fitted into the outer shell.

Machinery and ma. azine spaces, the "vitals" of a warship, are contained in the innermost "box," and are thus completely isolated 'from the effect of explosions' which may breach the outer hull and even shatter the first of the inner hulls. , . ',' ■ ■ " .

Further, each of the 'boxes" is subdivided by stout bulkheads into scores of watertight compartments, the'whole structure forming a steel honeycomb of strongly-built cells.

Iri planning this, method of defence the constructors based their estimate of damage on the. most powerful gun projectiles, torpedoes, mines, and aircraft bombs likely to be produced in future years. Full account was taken of the effect of air bombs which may miss the ship, but detonate close alongside under water.

To ensure that.aircraft bombs or gun projectiles descending at a steep angle do not pierce to the vitals of the ship, at least two massive armour decks are fitted from side to side, forming a gigantic double carapace over the most vulnerable'compartments. In the American ships, Washington and North Carolina, the total thickness of the decks is 10 inches, equivalent to more than 21ft of wrought iron. No bomb carried by aircraft now existing, or likely to exist in the calculable future, would it is claimed, be capable of penetrating this defence. These facts may explain why the naval staff 3of the.leading Powers are supremely confident that their new battleships would remain afloat and in fighting trim despite the heaviest punishment which it would be possible to inflict on them with the weapon of today arid tomorrow.