NOTES ON THE WAR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15711, 11 September 1914, Page 4

NOTES ON THE WAR.

RUSSIA'S ■ . VAIN APPEAL. The St. Petersburg correspondent of the London Times, writing just before Britain was involved in the war, emphasised the strong efforts being made in Russia to secure a peaceful settlement of tho differences between Austria and Ser via. In an official communique, the Government emphasised Russians unwillingness to go to war. Russia was to the last ready to accept any compromise short of the annihilation of Servian independence, and the consequent destruction of the balance of power in tho Balkans to Russia's vital detriment. The prolonged conversations between M. Sazonoff and the Ambassadors of Austria-Hungary and Germany remained friendly in tone, but void of any practical results. Count Szapary and Count Pourtales, the Austro-Hungaxian and German Ambassadors, were alike permeated by a theory that the Austro-Servian conflict was no concern of Russia. The persistent unanimity of the bland responses made by Austria-Hungary and Germany to Russia's despairing appeal for a hearing compelled the unwilling conclusion that all this diplomatic effort was merely byplay to gain time. Little if any doubt existed that Germany would throw off the mask and mobilise.

NEW BRITISH WAR VESSELS. There was recently Lunched from the woiks of Messrs. J. I. Thomycroft at Southampton, the Meteor, one of the two destroyers under construction by the firm for the 1913-14 naval programme. These vessels are of special design and show an sdvance ir armament and speed over previous vess>. Is of the type. A speed of 35 l'nots is anticipated The length is opproximately 275 ft and the breadth 27ft 6in. The propelling machinery consists of two sets of Parsons turbines, steam being provided by four water-tube boilers burning oil fuel. The accommodation for the crew is on a liberal scale and several new features have been introduced to add to their comfort. It is expected that the sister vessel, the Mastiff, will be launched in about a month's time. Two new submarines have been built at the Naval Construction Works of Messrs. Vickers, Limited, on Barrow Island. These two r.ew craft are of the E class, and have been handed over to the British Admiralty, having gone through a series of speed and evolutionary trials at Barrow. They represent the latest in design, and are an advance on even recent craft. They displace abcat 800 tons, and have a speed of 15 knots. There are three 21in torpedo tubes in each vessel, and the quick-firing guns disappear after being discharged. Wireless telegraphy is fitted. At present several similar craft are fitting out at Barrow, and new ones are budding in the construction shed. There is being built at Barrow-in-Furness for the Admiralty a super-submarine, which, according to The Observer, will mark a big advance upon her predecessors in size of hull; possibly also in the method of propulsion. She is to displace about 2000 tons, and will probably use steam turbines for surface cruising. In a word, this craft will come nearer to the submarine cruiser than any vet built. And, further, she is likely to "be the forerunner of a type of submarine even more powerful than herself.

PROGRESS OF THE SEAPLANE. Some interesting details of the evolution of the seaplane are contained in the report of the British Advisory Committee of Aeronautics, which was recently issued. Good progress has been made with the use of wireless telegraphy. Practically all war aircraft are now fitted with transmitting apparatus, and successful experiments have been made in the receipt of messages in aeroplanes. During flights by night, made both in aeroplanes and in seaplanes, no searchlights were carried in the former, but in the case of seaplanes two searchlights were used to facilitate alighting on the water. No difficulty was experienced in the air in preserving the balance of the machine whilst flying without lights. Systematic experiments have been carried out in connection with armament and in bombdropomg. As regards • progress in materiel, machines have been successfully constructed with folding wings. Op the seaplanes spring floats are being generally adonted. Advantage is being taken of the results obtained in the float experiments j at the National Physical Laboratory, and the general tendency in float design is I towards the boat-shaped type with flared bows in preference to the toboggan shape. The twin-float craft have proved the most seaworthy. A type with single centre float and two large wing floats has been found satisfactory, and experiments are proceeding in the development of the boat t-»e on these lines. The tact that a distance of over 131,000 miles was accomplished last year shows that the pilots of the seaplanes were continually on the move. It is very much in discussion which of the two typesnamely, flying' boats or aeroplanes mounted on floats are likely to be the seaplane of the future. The great objection to the former is that in a rough sea they roll heavily, and the planes, being so close to the water, become damaged very much sooner than those of a machine on floats which have many feet of clearance between its planes and the water.

REGIMENTAL HONOURS. A recent army order approved the addition of dates to certain honorary distinctions of various regiments. The late Mr. Arnold-Forster, M.P., when War Secretary, set the ball rolling in the restoration of old historic facings to infantry regiments, and, in the last few years, order has succeeded order with reference either to facings or battle honours, or colours, or other regimental distinctions. To prove the thoroughI ness of the War Office in this matter, it [ may be said that a committee has investigated the whole subject of regimental battle honours, and it is not so long since honours were granted for engagements that took place in the times of Charles 11. and Queen Anne ! But the fact seems to be that in the old days British military history was in a very deplorable state, while regimental histories hardly existed, or else were unworthy of serious notice, so that officers could not back up their claims for honours with any sound evidence, and consequently certain regiments actually had to wait until 1909 for the gallant defence of Tangier, the taking and the holding of Gibraltar, and the spirited exploits at Warburg, Beaumont, and Willems to be duly inscribed in the Armv List. J SOLDIERS' BOOTS. Though on the surface only a small subject, the question of the soldier's boots is one the importance of which no strategist will deny. "An army will march as far as its shoe leather allows it," sums the situation up, and some tests made in the recent Balkan war conclusively proved the influence of soldiers' boots in the conduct of great operations. The British War Office has latterly been demoting much attention to this subject, particularly in the direction of securing better fitting for the men, while various plans for permitting of the expeditious repair of the boots of men, who are campaigning have been considered.