MODERN BATTLESHIP.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19474, 2 November 1926, Page 9

MODERN BATTLESHIP.

" BACKBONE OF THE FLEET.*' AVIATION AS AN AUXILIARY. [FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.O SAN FRANCISCO. Oct. S. Some pertinent comment on naval policy, the use of the battleship in future warfare, and the control of the air force, fell from the lips of Admiral Moffett, on witnessing the first aerial parade of the United States battle fleet at sea off the Pacific coast—a thrilling two-day spectacle, which left both units much impressed with the progress that has been made by the nsvy in aviation daring the past two years. "The battleship is the backbone of the fleet," said Admiral Moffett, "Every other arm of the fleet works to aid the battleship ?n its mission. I think what I have seen proves that,the air force has become the most vital of all these arms. We have planes for bombing enemy surface craft, planes for spotting, scouting and observation, and fighting planes to protect our observation squadrons, an well as to fight off enemy planes and harass enemy surface craft. We are now ready to place three-passenger observation planes on all battleships, in addition to fighting planes for their protection. The battleship in itself has become an aircraft earner.

"What 1 saw conclusively proves the fallacy of the unified air-service idea. Everyone of these pilots must be an experienced sailor, otherwise he could not read the strength of the enemy, nor could he give to the fleet information useful to our gunners and navigators. We hold the upper hand to-day in naval aviation, thanks to the foresight of our officers, who, as long ago as 1912, were experimenting with the launching catapult. We have come a long way since then, but we have ctill a long way to go-"

The Assistant-Secretary of the Navy for Aviation, Mr. Edward P. Warner, said: "I do not think that the aeroplane is going to supplant the battleship, or endanger its future or that of any arm of the service. It is merely that command of the air is going to be of the utmost importance in any future naval warfare."

Aeroplanes of every typo, size and speed took part: Curtiss hawks and Boeing pursuits, Loaning amphibians and P.N. flying boats, T.S. fighters and U.O, scouts. Sixty surface craft—battleships, cruisers, destroyers, submarines and auxiliaries, were in action over a wide battle front. In 15 miniates two complete squadrons of aeroplanes were catapulted from battleships and were in, the air. All were picked up after the manoeuvre, with only one minor casualty. Eadio advices that torpedo aeroplanes were approaching were immediately followed by the sudden formation across the entire horizon of a white curtain of smoke, a chemical dropped by the torpedo aeroplanes. At night, destroyer squadrons succeeded in locating the battleship squadron for a torpedo at. tack, without being observed*