MODERN SUBMARINES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 January 1939, Page 5

MODERN SUBMARINES

INCREASE IN CRUISING RANGE. MANY LONG VOYAGES MADE. Developments since the war have not produced larger submarines. Experimental vessels of the type of the British XL, of 2425 tons, completed in 1925 and scrapped 11 years after, and of the French Surcouf, 2525 tons, completed in 1932, and armed with Sin guns, are unlikely to be repeated, being definitely too large and unwieldy. Nevertheless, modern developments and science have brought vessels of 2000 tons and less, with surface speeds of 15 to 22} knots, and very wide range of action.

British vessels have made long voyages, and French submarines have travelled unescorted to Indo-China and the South Atlantic without difficulty or breakdown. Certain Italian boats can proceed to Italian Somaliland round the Cape of Good Hope—lo,ooo miles—without refuelling . Some Japanese craft of 1400 tons are credited with seagoing endurance of not less than 16,000 miles, which means they can cross the Pacific and return without refuelling. While the offensive power of individual submarines has not greatly increased since 1918, their general range of action has largely been enhanced. This means that submarine activity and mine-laying may be expected in distant areas formerly considered immune.

The acoustic devices for locating submarines with which modern destroyers, escort, and patrol vessels are provided, have been greatly improved since 1918. So have the depth charges with which submarines are attacked under water. Special anti-submarine schools have been formed for training personnel in the art of detection while regular aircraft patrols and directional wireless help to make the task of submarines far more hazardous. In moderate weather flotillas of fast motor craft working with aircraft would doubtless be used for hunting and attacking submarines located in proximity to the coast. In other words, while the potency of individual submarines has not great increased, the methods of dealing with them are many times more efficacious than they were 20 years ago, and are being constantly developed and improved. However, submarine range of action has been extended, which means that regular convoy systems for merchantmen, and mine-sweeping organisations for ports, may have to be brought into being in distant areas. In certain circumstances that may be visualised, there is hardly a sea in which British vessels might not be attacked or a port in the Empire which might not be mined.

Under-water craft, however, are very vulnerable. Damage which would be trifling to a surface ship may prove fatal to a vessel which has to rely upon her power of submergence. Moreover, since submarines can be forced to dive by fast surface ships and aircraft in which condition they are slow and virtually blind, their command of the sea they occupy is necessarily precarious. During a protracted war, not more than about one-third of a country’s submarine fleet can be expected to be at sea at any particular time. The remainder must be in harbour, re-fit-ting, and resting their crews. Add to this the highly specialised training necessary, the moral effect of the inevitable losses and disappearances, and the constant strain upon the personnel through the greatly enhanced methods of location and destruction, and it is obvious that the successful operation of submarines has become increasingly difficult and dangerous.

However ably handled, they can never be a match for surface warships suitably protected by destroyers and aircraft. Given an adequate convoy system, with escort vessels, hunting flotillas and aircraft, they should be far less of a menac* to merchantmen! than during the last year of the Great War.