THE LATE ADMIRAL SCOTT.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 27 October 1924, Page 6

THE LATE ADMIRAL SCOTT.

HIS LIl-’E AND WORK. In the course of an appreciation on the life and work of the late gallant sailor, whose life work was so valuable to army and navy alike, an exchange says: “Though not such a keen controversialist as the late Lord Fisher, Admiral Scott could speak and Avrite in. that breezy style that marks the real son of the seas. He contended that- the aeroplane and the submarine had made the capital ship useless. The folloAviug extract from the report of a recent debate on the subject shoAvs the late Admiral in a typical light:

He had been asking for four years Avhat our neAv battleships Avere being built for. but could get no . answer. Admiral Fulham, an American, liad said that Avith battleships they AA’ould he fighting the battles of the future with the weapons of the past, “He means to say they are damned fools and I rather agree with him.” (Laugliter.l The First Lord of the Admiralty had stated that submarines had ne T ver affected the free movements of the Fleet. Admiral Sir Cecil Lambert very quickly fell foul of him, characterising that statement as the greatest contradiction of positive fact for Avhich a Cabinet Minister had ever been responsible. “I hope that will appear in the papers. The First Lord Aviil he pleased to read it in the morning.” (Laughter.) Si r Percy Scott then enumerated some of the achievements of submarines during the war, and, referring to the statement of a distinguished admiral that AA r hen the battleships ran away from a little submarine in the Mediterranean it was because the ships were in the Avrong place, said he thought that was a severe reprimand for the Admiralty. It Avould be interesting to the audience because it demonstrated that the Dominions could protect themselves - with submarines, 'battleships that should visit their , coast being sure to find themselves in the wrong place. (Laughter.) “If,” he said, “the Avaters of all countries are protected T>y submarines all waters will be wrong waters for battleships to go to, and if that is so where are they to go?” (Laughter.) He wa s inclined, to agree with the midshipman avlio said : “Battleships are no damned, use at all.” The American Admiral lie had quoted had said that, it looked as if in future they would be unable to carry war from one continent to another, and so the new Aveapons might be doves of peace, “The. typewriter,” said Sir Percy! glancing at his notes, “has made it. ‘duds of peace-.’-” (Laughter.)