HARBOUR DEFENCES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 126, 20 February 1908, Page 7

HARBOUR DEFENCES.

SUBMARINE MINES ABOLISHED.

SUBMERSIBLES AND DESTROYERS

"The submarine miuq is abolished," said Captain Riqhardson,-' Director of Artillery;' to a Dominion representative yesterday, during tho course of a brief discussion on harbour defences.'

The subn.irino mine, continued the speaker, was an effective force in war, but it was now universally recognised that its value lay more in its effectiveness as an instrument of offence than of defenco. The Japanese, in their war with Russia; realised this, and laid mines, not at their own doors, but at their enemy's. Drawbacks of Mines. The effectiveness of the submarino mine a.i a defansivo agent is greatly modified by the fact that although..-the enemy's, ships, may bo profited from gaining access, to a harbour, the entrance to which is ' mined; that particular spot is also effectively blockaded against trading This-maybe-said to constitute the key to the whole problem of harbour defence—to maintain a sccret agent for attacking invading ships, lind at tho same time to keep the harbour open for trading vessels; —=. ,- Captain Richardson was not prepared, to say whether the military, authorities had eomo to any conclusion regarding tho adoption of submersiblcs 'in 'placo of the- discarded mine-fields. Jiut it is clear that there must bo some alternative scheme which it is possible for them to adopt, and the remarks which fell from Sir Joseph, Ward at the Imperial Co'if-3. - mcc oii"thife question; coupled with the fact that tho 1 submarine mine has been abolished throughout the Empire,, suggest that there can on,ly be one eflectivo alternative scheme—if it decided to '»db'pt : an alternative at all—and that,is, the submerr. sible boat. The Ultimate: Destroyers." ■ - T' In discussing this question it is necessary to appreciate the fact that, in tho -event of war, this- country would'most probably bo subjected to raiding attacks .only. The chief object of a raid is to obtain supplies, and attacks of this nature are mostly directed against ports and coastal trade. In New Zealand, there are, according to Sir Joseph Ward, fourteen ports, tho majority of which aro important '.t-ijwns;," Only four of these', Auckland, Wellington; Lyttcltori, and Dunedin, are fortified. Commercial intercourse between those fourteen ports should bo protected in some measuro by. a .coastal patrol of destroyers—but that ..is... a. big question, although it was indicated at the Imperial. Conference -that a. scheme .of local defenco should have that point in view. -There still remains-ths-question of supply-, ing an instrument of defence in place of that which has been abolished. . Sutaiorsible's 'Moral Effect. t ■ > A well-known garjison artillery > officer,• discussing ; this point, said tha't lie was convinced, of the superiority., of,tho submersible boat over the submarine'' mine. 1 'Mines couldbo counter-mined, ho said, and there, was tho added danger of some of them getting' adrift. ; The moral offect' 1 alone of the subboat—its invisibility; and uncertainty of attack —w'a£'.'of''immense Villus' to the security of a port'. " Franco had.'/rtfc'ognised this even when tho,' "submersible was in its imperfect stages of development, for the submarino mine had .been discarded oven then. Further developments''in : regard to this aspect of the harbour defences, of New Zealand will bo awaited with-' interest'/ ''' Sub'-" marine minc3 are abolished.:' What will .take their-place? '.