ATTACK ON HAWAII

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 188, 11 August 1925, Page 11

ATTACK ON HAWAII

NAVY'S TASK IN THE PACIFIC

INTERESTING PROBLEM WITH POLITICAL SIGNIFICANCE.

(By A BRITISH NAVAL AUTHORITY.)

In view of the visit of the United States battle fleet, the following technical treatise by a high authority of the British Xavy—the mightiest navy in the ;orld—which deals with the true purpose of the fleet's historical battle manoeuvres an attack up Hawaii is particularly interesting. The article was originally published in the London •'Sunday Times. *' The American fleet assembled in Hawaiian waters to carry out an exercise known officially as '-Army and Navy •Joint Problem Xo. 4." which has apparently been preceded hv a strategical exercise known as •'Fleet Problem 5."' 1 lie second of these in an α-uv res was, as far ;i- we know, designed to test the power of the American fleet to local? an enemy which had undertaken offensive operations" against the American coasts: the first, with which we are more immediately concerned, was intended to set how far the defences of Hawaii could resist a combined expedition of battleships and landing parties. Pearl Harbour, the centre of the strategical chessboard, whs attacked by a "blue"' force composed of the whole American battle llect —that is. twelve American battleships, in three divisions, six divisions of destroyers, a division of submarines,

than thy whule .Japanese fleet. There is. therefore, an overwhelming assumption thiit the American naval staff played a game of strategical hazard with heavily loaded dice. The basic assumption <>t these manoeuvres—that America's most important overseas bateu in to be left t<> defend itself with a garrison, a few reservists, and a submarine flotilla —-does not stand a minute's inspection. Some Antecedent Facts. Jt is Impossible to adjust those manoeuvres to a proper perspective without making a brief (survey of what pr- ,- eeded them and of the naval controversy which is now raginp in ihe I nited States. Last ypar the America.l licet carried mil an elaborate series <f exercises ii. the Caribbean Sea. Their purpose was tv test the power of the American fleet to defend the Panama (anal against "a lleel nf equal strength moving to attack it from the Western Atlantic"—a circumlocution which deceiviil nuliod.V. When the official repjort of iheso mami-uvres was istied it was found thai the '"Ifs.-nn.-" t" In , drawn from them were identical with the arguments of a Press campaign which had just been started by ti certain Mr. Shearer. The American fleet was said to be weaker