UNITED STATES' DEFENCE.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 87, 11 December 1914, Page 7

UNITED STATES' DEFENCE.

THE BRITISH FLEET

CORRECT STRATEGY

Press Association —Copy] iglit. WASHINGTON, December 9

Before the House committee on naval affairs, Brigadier General Crozier Long said a s loug as the German fleet was bet tied up it was useless to Germany, and the British were following sound strategy in resosting the temptation to bring abcut an engagement. No ccmmaiuie-'-in-ehief ought to risk his heat agaviist great forts or mine?; unless h was intended to immediately force a general engagement. The British fleet has fully accomplished the purpose of its existence, even if it never fought a German. Mi. Crozier asserted that the United States needed no siege suns of huge calibre such as Germany used, but undoubtedly they were useful for certain special circumstances, such as taking French forts. The United States was selling large quantities of ammunition; it is .unknown where it is despatched to, or whether it is handled through Canada Additional submarines were |r€>quir>ed for coast protection. Rear-Admiral Fletcher agreed that submarines were necessary, but he did not think that present-day navies could possibly discard dreadnoughts. Aircraft, as an auxiliary for the navy was indespensible, as they were able to locate submarines at a depth cf fifty feet; experiments in the Carribian Sea showed this.