TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXXVII, Issue 104, 6 May 1904, Page 1

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

The value of submarines as a weapon of offence in naval warfare seem^ likely to be seriously discounted by tbe application of a very simple expedient designed by Admiral Sir Arthur Wilson fop frustrating the attacks of these elusive craft. The other day, when mimic warfare was waged off Portsmouth between a supposition defence fleet, aided by real submarines and destroyers, and a "fleet in being," composed of battleships, cruisers, and destroyers, ie was noticed that the battleships in the rear of tbe attacking squadron were dropping picqnet boats. This operation aroused great cariosity, for no one could conjecture its import. This, however, was made clear at a later staee in the engagement, when it was found that Sir Arthur Wilson had invented an ingenious expedient for thwarting the submarines. Picqnet boats, though small, steam at from sixteen to eighteen knots an hour, while submarines only travel at abut ! ten on the surface, and six or seven when submerged. Moreover, sub j marines travel only ten to twenty feet below tie surface. When the picquet boats were dropped from the battle ■hips they had with them some fine bard steel nets-. Along one side of each a hawser was threaded. One picquet boat kept one end of the haw ser, and the other end was held in a second picquet boat. The net thus contrived, when dropped overboard, at •nee sank down like a thin wall into the water. Officers on the picquet boats saw a periscope moving on the face of the water, and manoeuvred so as to make the net bar its progress. A few minutes later a straining at the hawser told them they had stopped the career of the submarine. Immediately the boats altered course, so as to completely envelop the unfortunate underwater craft. This manceavre was successfully carried out, and the submariners found themselves unable to move the ship in any direction. As the hawser had carried away their periscope, their only means of seeing what was happening on the : surface, their feelings can be better imagined than described. When their craft was allowed to come to the surface their chagrin was greater than their relief, and they will not soon forget Admiral Wilson's fishing exploit.

An unexpected development has taken place at Christchurch in regard to the proposal to introduce a system of free seats in St. Michael's Church. A resolution affirming the principle of free seats throughout the church, and requesting the vestry to take such steps as they thought most desirable towards carrying out tne principle, waa adopted at the annual meeting of parishioners, on the motion of Mr W. Guiat Brifcton. At the meeting of the church vastry last week a deputation of church members protested against the resolution being carried into effect, on the ground that the mover, Mr Britton, had not been a resident of the parish during the last twelve] months The deputation had a legal opinion to the effect that tinder the circumstance the resolution was null and void. I> was pointed out that already all seatare free the moment the last bell ha> finished ringing, just before the com mencement of the -service. It it* probable that to obviate the crowd ing which very often takes place at the church entrance, all seats will be free in future from five minutes be* fore service begins. At present there are 300 seats let and 450 are free in the church, and room is made for about 100 extra seats (which are, of course, also free) on special occasions. The regulations provide that at least one third of the total number of seats must be free. Even now, when special services are held, a number of people who prefer certain seats without rent ing them, are accustomed to make sure of. their possession by coming before six o'clock. A few parishioners of the church have occupied the same seats for as long as forty years.