UNITED STATES’ NAVY

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 192, 9 May 1924, Page 7

UNITED STATES’ NAVY

REPORTO WEAKNESS IN EQUIPMENT SUBMARINES OBSOLETE AND FAULTY AIRCRAFT SITUATION SEVERELY CRITICISED The report of Admiral Coontz on recent manoeuvres of the United States navy declares that the material condition of the fleet is not as good as it should be and that a long time will be required to get the fleet up to date/ Admiral Coontz asserts that the submarines are the worst combatants in the fleet, their design being obsolete and faulty, and he severely criticises the aircraft situation.

By Telegraph—Press Association Copyeight.

(Bps. May 8, 10.20 p.m.) Washington, May 7.

The report of Admiral Coontz on the Atlantic and Pacific fleet manoeuvres, published by Mr. Wilbur (Secretary of the Navy) reveals what naval officials regard as alarming weakness in equipment. Admiral Coontz says the material condition of the fleet is not as good as it should be. There are a number of major defects which are correctible only bv the correction of national policy. Unfortunately it will require a long time to get the fleet up to date, owing to the deferred maintenance and delayed alterations. The report bases its findings entirely upon the recent manoeuvres, and besides reviewing the shortcomings alleged by Mr. Shearer and the deficiency in light cruisers, further stressed the shortage of flagships, destroyers and leaders. Moreover, squadron leaders are deemed to lack offensive and speed reliability,. while the remaining eighteen battleships had become unfit for positions in the line. The report referring to submarines asserts that they are the worst combatants in the fleet, their design being obsolete and faulty, and some of their fuel tanks leak. All the submarines are so deficient in speed as to be unusable in fleet work. There is a great

shortage of mines, and there are no modem mines. Admiral Coontz severely prtticises the aircraft situation, declaring that ship catapults are not working well. Some airplanes are unable to lift a torpedo. Moreover, the destroyer tenders are deficient in speed, and the auxiliaries are so sluggish as to limit the fleet’s train convoy to a speed of 7| knots an hour. The radio equipment is not modernised, and the signal searchlights are ineffective. The report concludes that the sole solution lies in the prompt improvement of the defective particulars.— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. FMr. William Shearer, a former special expert employed by the Navy Department, alleged that the ratio of 5-5-3 no longer existed. Both Britain and Japan, he said, surpassed the United States in armament, range of guns, quality and strength of cruisers and submarines, and quantity of. oil fuel. He alleged that the United States would be unable to fight for a week upon her present oil reserves, and declared that Japan outranked the United States and Britain in the excellence of its naval bases, while the United States had only naval yards, but no bases. Naval officials admitted the truth of Mr. Shearer’s .figures showing America’s inferiority in gun elevation and auxiliary craft strength.)