Fantastic Dream

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 18, 9 June 1914, Page 5

Fantastic Dream

THE NAVY OP THE FUTURE. ADMIRAL SCOTT'S THEORY ROUGHLY HANDLED. INACCURATE AND UNDEVELOPED WEAPONS." liy Cable—Press Association— Copyright Received 8, 8.45 p.m. London, June 8. Admiral Sir Francis C. B. Bridgman declares that Admiral Sir Percy Scott's letter contains nothing new to the Admiialty, except his advice to immediately reduce the shipbuilding programme and resort to inaccurate and undeveloped weapons. The time has not arrived for such radical changes, although it may ultimately be readied by future developments. Lord Sydenham considers that Admiral Scott's theory is a fantastic dream. He emphasises that aeroplanes are useless for scouting or assisting' submarines nt night time or in fogs and storms. The submarine is very vulnerable on the surface, while, when wholly submerged, navigation is difficult, and dangerous. Mr. John Leyland, editor of the newspaper The Navy, considers that wo must hasten slowly along Admiral Scott's pathway, awaiting developments. He foresees that the size of submarines will increase until the dimensions of a submarine battleship are attained. Sir Phillip Watts, formerly Director of Naval Construction to the Admiralty, declares that half of the submarines' power for harm is their invcrsibilitv. They could not attack at night without a searchlight, which would indicate their position. The Berliner urges Admiral Scott to endeavor to convince his own countrymen, and adds that Germany does not follow Britain's example but will gratefully inherit the supremacy of the sea which would then be hers without a struggle.