BRITISH NAVY

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 174, 13 October 1927, Page 1

BRITISH NAVY

POLICY ATTACKED

DANGERS INDICATED

TORPEDOES AND AIRCRAFT By Cable. —Press Association. — Copyright. LONDON, Wednesday. A slashing indictment of the Admiralty’s policy is presented by Mr. E. F. Sipanner in his new book, “Armame-ts and a Non-combat-ant.” The fact that the author was formerly a member of the Admiralty Corps Constructors and that he is also an architect and engineer of repute, says the ‘“Daily News” naval correspondent, lends weight to his views. Mr. Spanner coutends that Britain’s expenditure upon the Navy is no longer equal to the task of the defence of the trade of the Empire, while

the building programme is based upon fallacious principles. He says that the biggest battleship must bet the victim of aircraft and he dismisses the Admiralty’s claim that the Nelson, Rodney and Hood are torpedo proof as false. A single torpedo in the stern would leave the Nelson as helpless as a log. The big guns, he says, are inaccurate and nonefficient. On the contrary, Mr. Spanner adds, aircraft can secure tiO per cent, of hits. He pictures the devastation that such an attack would create.— Sun.