SHORELAM MYSTERY TOWERS.

Hokitika Guardian, 22 July 1922, Page 4

SHORELAM MYSTERY TOWERS.

U-BOAT TRAP LAID TOO LATI-

LONDON, May 24

Tile veil was lifted on the iiivster; towers of the Navy (built at Shoreham Sussex, ip 1918) during a discussion oi naval affairs to-day. Thousands t: people have gazed at these monstroii structures of concrete and steel an pondered on their use; hut the silon Navv has in this ease been complete!

To-dav Lieiit-Commnndcr Kc-n worthy told the story of the towers. During the war, lie said, it was necessary at nil costs to prevent German snhmaiines from getting through the Straits ol 1) ver The cost of patrol vessels was high, and in had weather they were driven in to shore. Somebody lilt oil the idea of building tnweis ol steel an; concrete towing them out <<> t.ie Straits, and depositing them on s-nm-i,allies. On the towers were to lie mount-. <1 searchlights and guns and thev were also to he equipped with apparatus for the detection ot siibimirim-s and with ’’keys” for firing .mines m the minefields through which a s.t >- murine might pass. But the Armistice came hetore any . 1 the towers had h-en reinplo'ed and lie Admiralty were faced with the problem of wlmt to do wit.i t."ta. £1 ifiOf.fii) had I cell spent on them. and this sear another 017,700 was required !!;• advis'd the Admiralty to to" them out to s >a ami sink tlmm. ('om ma i tiler Eyres - Mon sell, i e ■ said the Admiralty had been at tlieo wits’ end to know wlmt to do wil l Im--mvslerv lowers.” Dm- was bmmuseil (near the Nab hgotshin, of. by exist of the fsle of Wight) lor expennients in lighting, and the other iemained at Shoreham. where us PjV senee was resente-1 by Hie m* The Admiralty had m-w decided ' '•> 1 Stroy It ami we,-.- asking f ; r muiiov that purpose. As to Rem 'j' ' ,a: d. the Navy did not require tlie national point cd view it would not pay 10 close it.