FUTURE WAR.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 July 1922, Page 5

FUTURE WAR.

THE NAVY OR AIRCRAFT? SECURITY OF BRITAIN. THE EXPERTS DIFFER. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Received July 21, 9.40 p.m. London, July 21. As a result of the proposal to spend X 16.000,000 on two new capital ships for the British Navy, experts have engaged in an excited -on on the relative fighting- values of aircraft and warships. One school claims that the modem battleship is at the mercy of the latest aircraft equipped with huge bombs and torpedoes, while naval men contend that the post-Jutland Dreadnought remains the vital arm of defence. Major-General Sir F. Maurice, in the Daily News, says British airmen can obtain better results than a flotilla of however boldly the latter may be handled. He adds: “We to-day are far ahead of any other Power in this form of attack, and an airship is being allowed to attack an obsolete warship with real bombs to see if it can sink it.” Lord Montagu of Beaulieu, while accepting the naval men's decision in favour cf ships, says: “This does not prevent the belief that in each succeeding year aircraft will play a more im« port ant part in wars on sea and land. Eventually all war will be in the air and armies and navies will be supporters only England is no longer an island. and half the justification of the existence of Ute navy to keep her shores inviolate has disappeared.”—Aus.-N-Z. Cable Assn. .