THE SECRETS OF SCAPA.

Taihape Daily Times, 27 August 1919, Page 5

THE SECRETS OF SCAPA.

SIR P. SCOTT ON WVHY THE HUNS DID NOT W-IN. At a dinner given by the Skinners’ Company‘, Adniirall Sir Percy Scoitt, in responding to the toast of “The Navy,” told some fascinating secrets. In November, 1914, he said, I visited the Grand Fleet. They were then at Sc:-apa Flow, in the Orkneys, in an absolutely unprotected harbour. Hun submarines could have come in and§sunk them on any night. I slept on board the Iron Duke. My’ last remark to Lord Jellieoe was: “Shall we be here in the inorning?” His reply was, ‘‘l wonder.’’' Some people said to me “Why did Lord llellicoe have his fllect in on unprotected harbour?” The answer is that prior to the war we had only considered submarines as toys, so we had not got a protected harbour to put our fleet. in. Then I have been asked: If that is the case, why did not the Huns destroy our fleet and win the war in 1914‘-.’» VVel‘l_, why did not they? Admiral’ Jellieoe, in his book, says that he thinks the Hun nrinds could not conceive that we were such fools to to have our ‘Fleet in an unprotected harbour’; There is a. story that Hun airmen, having reported in 1914 that they could see no defences at Scapa, two spies were sent, and at that time it was very easy for them to get over. tThey reported that. there was no protection. The Huns promptly shot them. as they considered that they were lying. They sent two m-ore. They were not going to takb \an_v risks. so they reported that our Fleet was as safe as theirs was in the Kiel: Canal. Perhaps this IS why the Huns; did not win, as they could havle won,‘ the war in/1914. If the Huns had had ‘ half a. dozen men of the stamp of our} submarine commanders, we should now] be 9. Hun colony. The knowledge of‘ this will, I think, be the bittaerest pill that the Huns have ever ‘had to swal-1 low_ Lord Jellicoe has been criticised: because after tho Battle of Jutland he did not pursue the Hun fleet and fight. them at night. Lord Jellie-oe had a. very good reason for not doing so.: The British Flwet was not properly equipped for (fig-h'tin,t2' an /Action at night. The German Fleet. was. Consequently" to fight them at night would! have been to court disaster. Lord J‘el. none’; business was to preserveithel (‘.~-and l7‘leet. not to risk its existence. T have been asked why was the Grand: Plppf not so well m'epared to fight wag ~l'(_rm action as the Hun navv. 'M_v .....q“-nr ic: “.v\sl( the Admiralty.’ l