HITTING POWER.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 625, 30 September 1909, Page 7

HITTING POWER.

— T-* SUBMARINES VERSUS DREADNOUGHTS GERMANY AND BRITAIN. UNDER-WATER CRAFT ARE CHEAP AND DEADLY. (By Telegraph-Press Association-Copyright.) (Roc. September 29, 9.50 p.m.) Berlin, September 29. Admiral von Galster—wuose opposition to Germany's "big ship" policy, as .quoted by tho lato Herr vou Holstein, figured in yesterday's cablegrams—is an advocate of submarines (which Germany began to build only last year, being a long way behind Britain in this respect). Admiral von Galster urges tho construction of submarines instead of Dreadnoughts, holding that tho former are more suited te Germany's particular needs. The Admiral declares that 30 submarinea can bo built for tho price of one battleship. GERMAN SUBMARINES AND ENGLAND'S PORTS. The development of undcr-watcr attack, with non-stop runs by submarines of .500 or GOO m 'iu?* h ß< . brou ? ht the English coast well within striking distance of German submarines. It is said that this fact is one of the arguments for going away north to the Firth-of I'orth td establish, at Rosyth, a' naval boso, where fleets may lio in safety. The somo fear lurks behind the recent testing of English harbour defences, when the "boom":at Portsmouth was .successfully "rushed" by an old dostroycr, the Ferret, armed with a spoc/ai: cutting apparatus. Ports liko 1 Dover, whero tho now Admiralty harbour (vido to-day's - cablegrams) is approaching cflmplotkm, are directly affected. • When Admiral Galster speaks of "Germany's particular needs" he means Britain. Germany at present is a long way behind in the submarine race, thongh vpry . forward in the Dreadnought'race. : Tho third German submarine was launched from the Imperial yards at Kiel, about April lost, and there wcro then Under construction five submarines which had been commenced before the end of the financial, year 1908. VHow many submarines are included in tho German 1909 programme bas novor been stated.. Against this limited numbor,"Britain' had. 57 .submarines complete for sea-last March. These have siheo been'largely added to. In May last one firm alone, Viekors and Maxim, turned out six. Britain leads the world in sub-aqueous .craft. . :■'■.'■'