THE NAVIES AND THE WAR.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 12 June 1919, Page 2

THE NAVIES AND THE WAR.

LORD JELLICOE'S OPINION.

Lord Jellicoe, speaking at a Parliamentary luncheon in his honour at Adelaide, after detailing the difficulties of dealing with the submarine menace, and the great work accomplished by the British Navy and the mercantile marine, said he had very serious anxiety in the early days. Whatever the result might be he did his best. He did not hesitate to say that if the German submarines, had been manned by British seamen, not a British ship would have been left afloat. It was an extraordinarily easy task, and the way the German* failed over it sho\ved that want of initiative and dash which, to his surprise, the German fleet showed throughout the wa r. There was'never much anxiety regarding the German surface fleet, but disguised raiders were difficult to tackle. If the Germans liked they could have sent out hundreds. Thank goodness they failed to realise how easy it was The lesson learned during the war was simpla. It was to be ready. We no doubt had long years of peace before us, but he could not trust the destinies of the Empire to anybody but the British Navy, backed by the valuable assistance of the great Overseas Dominions.