New British Fleet Built Since War Began.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 221, 27 October 1916, Page 1 (Supplement)

New British Fleet Built Since War Began.

THE IMPRESSIONS OF AN AMERICAN. —BY MORTON PEABODY PRINCE.

Writing in the New York ' Tunes," Mr. Prince gives some interesting particulars of British naval activity. He was allowed by the Admiralty to see something of the British Fleet that fought in the Jutland battle a large part of which the Germans claimed to have destroyed. He says:— If one can sum up that fleet to-day in ono word, that word is "ready." And " readiness" in the British Navy means "readiness." One would expect to see the gajyug shellholes, the wrecked masts, the disabled guns of. the traditional sea story. As a matter of fact, those ships are as fit today as ever—scarcely a sign of the hell they have passed through. As foe those "extra ships which the Germans claim to have destroyed, it is only necessary to say that they are not only floating, but are in the pink of condition for, another "go" at Von Scheer. To accomplish the vast task hud upon it, ships of all kinds have been necessary. To-dav (says Mr. Prince, continuing his story) there are under Admiralty orders at least 8000 slips. The opportunity was recently given me to see some of those 6000 being Juiilt. For one hour we steamed down a river—steaming right-along—and we saw nothing but vessels under construction! Battleships, cru ; siers, torpedo boats, trawlers, mine-sweepers, monitors, tramp sfctamers, submarines, lighters, colliers, oil boats—every class oj ship! Night and day, seven days in the week, those yards were working. "They must be built—they must !>e built!" That was the chorus pounded out by the hydraulic rams, nttled ou'. by the riveting machines', roared out by the blast furnaces. And they are being built.

Since the outbreak of the war England lias launched, as an addition to lies- navy, a new fleet, the equal of Germany's alone! And at the same time she has continued ,to hammer out merchant ships that the Allies may not lack, suplpies. She has been able to do this because her slv.p-building resources aire so immense. The shipyards of one district alone can produce double the output of the enemy; those of the United Kingdom can equal the output of the world. The building of sliips. however, is not the only requir?ment. Those ships must be kept in condition, in the pink of condition. And there must be no delay. Witness the aftermath of the battle of Jutland . For two days the English fleet had b"een driven to the limit—tacked by gunfire, strained by forced speed, pounded by shells. The fleet must be refitted. Jellicde steams home —4OO miles. He puts into port. How iorg does it take before h : s ships are reported ready once more for battle? Just five hours ! That's efficiency! Emphasis has always been laid on the ofliciency of the German Army. Tho British Navy has been forgotten. It is not so dramatic, and it is secret. Tho visitor to a naval base will pronably be disnppointed. There is no nisi, no clamour. Tilings appear very easygoing. But everything is ready. Word comes that his .Majesty's ship Indomitable will arrive at 5.40 p.m., and desires so man ytons of coal, .-o many gallons of water and oil, and so many rounds of ammunition. And at 5.4!> p. in. H.M.S. Indomitable docs arrive, is immediately surrounded by supply ships, and in a few hours -is on her way to sea. Tho average length of timo necessary to relit a vessel on patrol duly is from two to four hours. All is organised for speed. "'Must'' is tho only word in the vocabulary.

Modern navies are highly developed Units are nothing. Unity is everythin g. 'llio fleet must be well rounded, having its proper complements of ccstroyers, light cruisers, battle-cruisers, and battleships. It is teamwork that counts. Hack of that fleet must be a huge organisation of men and equipment to k©ep the slips in trim —dry docks, floating cranes, colliers, tank steamers, machine shops—to supply it, repair it, rebuild it. What is the use of having the fastest, heaviest, and most superlative battlesh'p in the world if it can't lx> coaled or repaired? Given the ships, given tlie dockyards, given the organisation, there still re-

mains, perhaps, the most important, factor—men. In the last analysis it was the men who won the battle of Jutland. The present war has demonstrated that all nations are brave in the face of danger. But under modern conditions of naval warfare that is not sufficient. It is a question of nerve or "sang froid" or cold-bloodedness, o> whatever you choose to cal lit. Thus, at the beginnng of the battle, th.j German gunnery was excellent. Th» British are the first to admit it. But, when tiro German ships began to hi pounded, then those gunners went to pieces. Theyc ouldn't stand the strain. You must have men who have been so thoroughly trained that they aim their guns as accurately when the ship is sinking as at target practice, who can figure elevation and range and speed during the roar of shell nre. To exemplify: We were discussing—an officer and I —the strength of armour plate, and I asked if the turrets could withstand the big shells. He sa.il they could, and added: "But it's rather unpleasant for the guncrews. It's like putting your head inside a drum and having somebody beat it Most of the men are generally stunned!" But, stunned or not, those mien have to fight those guns. In American suing, that is "guts"—tli9 peculiar characteristic of the British sailor—the characteristic that broke the Armada, that won Trafalgar, that turned the battle of Jutland into an English victory. Recognition of their duty and determination to do that duty at all costs —that is the spirit of the navy. There is no show about it. Officers and men are pleasant and cheerful, taking what comes as all in the day's work. They do their duty because doing the'r duty is their profession. Here is an illustration :

After the battle an official who was being shown over a ship was taken to the galley to see the hole made by i shell in that very useful room. There he found the cook. "How did it happen?" he asked. " Why, sir," drawled the cook, "'t come about this w'y. I was a'standin 'ere 'oldin the pot in me 'ands, and a bloomin' shell came between me. an the pot." "But," said the official, "weren't you frightened ?" "Frightened, sir? No —not exactly frightened, but I felt a Vt sweatylike." "And what were you doing, cook ; ng during the battle?" "W'y, sir, you see I cook for the orticers, and I kind o' thought that, aft-" tho battle Avas over, they night be ft bit 'ungry-like, and so I was a'cookin' them up .t little somethin'." He was there to cook, and lie was cooking, Admiral von Scheer or no Admiral von Scheer. Quite simple. Or take the story of the CaptainCommander of one of the super-dread-noughts. Throughout tho battle lie had remained at his post, impertiirliable, giving his orders briefly and making no comments, until it happene 1 that the gunnery officer tiained the huge 15-inch gun on a Gvrman destroyer and blew her clean out of v.ater. Tho captain calls up the officer on the tel> phone, and in that slow, English fashion asks:— "Was that necessary?" That was all. The officer understood. Ihe captain was right. It was an unnecessary waste of big shells when smaller calibre would have served the purpose. Only, when in danger of being torpedoed, one forgets occasionally the virtue of economy. That is the spirit of the navy. In the galley or on the bridge, it is th-: ylme. Officers and men have been trained to do one job—to fight. They have been taught that the ronour and safety of England have been, are, and always will be in the keeping of the navy. There lies the difference between the British Navy and the German Army. The German military caste, feels that it is the country. Insolonfc, overbearing, cruel, the German officer looks upon a civilian as a machine. In the British Navy the humnu element is never lost. Courtesy is a requirement. The pride of the navy is not th<pride of superiority, but the pride of the service—the pride, that an empi.-o has been intrusted to it.