A FANTASTIC DREAM.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 105, 9 June 1914, Page 7

A FANTASTIC DREAM.

'< SIR' ■ PERCY SCOTT'S VIEW.

MODERN NAVAL

By Cable.—Press Aasoeia^pn.-^—Copyright.' i June 8.

Admiral Sir F. C. Bridgman says that Sir Percy Scott's letter? declaring that the day of the battleship is over, contains nothing which is new, to the Admiralty,' except 'Ms ;. advice immediately, ito reduce the ship-building programme tf resort to inaccurate and undeveloped' weaponsv ,Tto time has »0t arrived ftit such radical changes, although it may be reached by future developments. , Lord Sydenham considers that Sir Percy Scott's theory iar./a fantastic dream. lie that'aeroplanes; are useless for scouting or assisting submarine's at night time, or in fogs and

storms. The submarine is. very vulnerable on the surface,/while when wholly submerged its navigation is difficult and dangerous. Mr John Leyland, editor of the "NaVy," considers that Britain must hasten slowly, along Sir Percy 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 that, half the submarines' powCT for harm is tlfieir invisibility. They ecraid'j hot attach |at night without the aid of searchlights, Which would iii ppisitibiiij TM Berlin ' ' Scott'tti endeavour to 1 convince his' oWacountrymen, and a,dds:~" Germany wjill liot follow Britain's eiainplej but gratefully inherit supremacy on the which '"will then be heirs" without \ a struggled ' J i