THE SUBMARINE MENACE.

Evening Star, Issue 23834, 14 March 1941, Page 2

THE SUBMARINE MENACE.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —Hitler’s threat of sinking British tonnage could be offset by a similar form of frightfulness if the Admiralty in London were not so blind and deaf to many suggestions from many sources. It is my opinion that many suggestions are reaching our experts in naval matters that are quite unworkable and fantastic, but men have proved geniuses in capacities that arc far removed from their ordinary occupations. By the same reasoning we must conclude that there are many in naval circles who in those critical times should not he there. A mere outsider daring to make suggestions may be cast aside contemptuously as if to say “ We know our job.” During 1917 Britain lost something like 58 ships each week on an average for some lime. Germany sent two large submarines, the Deutschland and Bremen carrying merchandise to America. They got through, but only one managed to return. I wrote from Mesopotamia to the ‘ Daily Mail,’ London, suggesting merchant submarines for Britain. I received a letter from the Admiralty, through my commanding officer, acknowledging receipt, but _ saying they “ saw nothing in my suggestions they did not already know.” When this war commenced, after Dunkirk was evacuated and when it was reported that the coastline from the northern to southern British Isles was to be closely watched and surprise methods avoided I suggested “ midget submarines ” as an offensive and defensive method quite suitable for short-radius work. I sent the illustrations giving full particulars of what in my humble opinion was worth while to counter Germany’s coming submarine menace, which is now really starting. I received a letter from the Admiralty thanking me, but merely saying they Had received identical suggestions from many sources. Midget submarines are possessed by Japan in large numbers. Their cost is but one-fiftieth of the large type. They carry a crow of three with one or two torpedoes that, could sink anything. They can submerge to over I,oooft. Owing In Iheii tremendous structural strength, duo to their small hulls, I hey have a wonderful turn of speed. Their length is about 18ft, beam Bft or 9ft. They could be built in large numbers on land and easily transported anywhere by special lorries. I believe they could be built in'the colonies even, with all the reserves of man power

Brought to bear and much unskilled labour adapted to this effort. Greater aircraft radius and spotting with modern methods of communication by micro-wave wireless, informing Germany of our shipping, will eclipse Germany’s 1917 menace. I will repeat this suggestion to the Admiralty, for when we remember the inventors of the “ asdig ” and the American bomb sight, also the man who firmly insisted on tbo eight-gun fighter that has saved Britain, is it not possible that the midget submarine in huge numbers would bo a useful craft to offset the Hun?—l am, etc., B. E. Kite. March 13.