ON THE SEA.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 December 1916, Page 5

ON THE SEA.

SIR JOHN JELLICOE. ) APPOINTED FIRST SEA LORD. —_< I ADMIRAL BEATTY COMMANDER OF TH3 GRAND FLEET.

London, Nov. 20. Official.—Admiral Sir .lolin Jellieoe ha-s been appointed First Sea Lord and Admiral Sir David Beatty has been appoint ed Commander of the' Grand Fleet. [The present First Sea Lord is Admiral Sir Henry Jackson".] London, Nov. 29. Mr. Balfour, in the House of Commons, announced the new appointments of Admirals Jellieoe and Beatty, and said that Admiral Sir Henry Jackson, the retiring First Sea Lord, had been appointed president of the Naval College at Greenwich. He would announce other changes at the Adriralty end is the higher command later.

The House of Commons was crowded when Admiral Beatty's promotion and Admiral Jellieoe : s translation to the Admiralty was announced. The changes were generally approved. Mr. Balfour added that the decision had been made some timo ago, but the announcement delayed for military reasons. Answering 11 r. -Houston, Mr. Balfour said the Vice-Admiral commanding at Dover reported that enemy destroyers on the night of the 23rd attempted to pass south inuido, the Downs and;- came into contact with the Ramsgate patrol in the dark. The enemy made off before our vessels could engage them. The last enemy vessel fired twelve shots lat two armed drifters, hitting one and causing slight damage. The destroyers did not enter the' Channel. He still entertained the hope that if the enemy entered the Channel he would not get out without a heavy disaster. Mr. Houston: Does the Admiralty for-f-et that attaei: is one of the surest forms of defence? and added: "We require ruthless fighting men at the Admiralty.." Mr."Balfour: Those general principles arc perfectly sound in the abstract, but if the member means that, the Admiralty must use warships to attack batteries ashore ruthlessly, it is not a policy I will ever be responsible for. Mr. Houston: I spoke of submarines Mr. Balfour: We have not spared submarines whin there was a chance of destroying tht m ' Received Nov. 30, R."> p.m. London, Nov, 30. Admiral Sir John .Tellicoe has already assumed his position as First Lord at Whitehall. Admiral Sir Henry Jackson will be invested with larger administrative powers at Greenwich, particularly relating to the educational aspect. The changes will obviate the necessity of a secret session

OPERATIONS AGAINST ZEEBRUGGE, A PERSISTENT QUESTIONER. Received, Noy. 30, ss.3o p.m. London, Nov, 20. In the House of Commons, Mr. R. P. Houston asked why no effective measures were taken to destroy Zeebrugge when monitors and shallow water craft, specially built for this work, were available for operation, agiiinst a ne»t of small craft Mr. "Balfour refused to answci ihe question, but pointed out that what the member called a nest of small craft was a naval base defended by powerful shore batteries. Z\lr. Houston: Is it not a fact that monitors built for this work were jent on a futile Dardanelles venture? Mr. Balfour: I cannot discuss the Dardanelles. v The Admiralty reports that naval aeroplanes attacked Zeebrugge harbor on Tuesday afternoon, but the results were not observed owing to the weather.

REAL REFORMS STILL TO - COME. /

| NEWSPAPER CRITICISM. Times Service. v - Received Nov. 30, 5.30 p.m. London, Nov. 2!). The Times, in a leading article states that no livingsailor could bring to Whitehall the prestige enjoyed by Admiral S ; -r .John Jellicoe, who is clear of all cliques and possesses the temperament necessary for the head of a great organisation, while Admiral Sir David Beatty is the embodiment ol the aggressive spirit of (lie navy, and possesses the confidence of his subordinates. Such a combination cannot do everything, and it would be sheer blindness to expect that all will be well henceforth. The weakness is not in the soldiers or sailors, and the real reforms are still to come.

r O ATTACK BRITISH FOOD SUPPLY. GERMANS CONCENTRATING UPON BIG SUBMARINES. Received November 20, 5.5 p.m. London, Nov. 29. It is reliably reported that the German shipyards ai\> concentrating upon the construction of ocean going super-sub marines, turning out two weekly, Bimi lar to the U35, in order to attack the British food supply.

ANOTHER GERMAN LIE. A. & N.Z. Cable Association and Reuter. Received Nov. 30, 8.30 p.m. London, Nov. 29. Referring to the German statement that the cruder Newcastle was mined and sunk on the 15t.1i, 27 of the crew being dead and 45 wounded, the Admiralty denies the fabrication, and states that no vessel was sunk in the North Sen between the 12th and 18th. RIGHT MORE VESSELS SUBMARINED. Received Dec. 1, 1.30 a.m. London, Nov. 30. Eight submarinings are reported. They include the Ki*; Malcolm (3031 tons), the Reapivell (3417 tons), and the 'ATnrnshv (1753 tonal"