STRENGTH OF THE NAVY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21473, 22 April 1933, Page 9

STRENGTH OF THE NAVY

SACRIFICE TO ECONOMY BRITISH FLEET MANOEUVRES " INADEQUATE PROTECTION" The manoeuvres of the Home and Mediterranean Fleets, which took place recently, revealed that the safety of the British Navy is being sacrificed for economy", according to a London newspaper. The exercises proved, it is stated, that the Navy could not adequately protect British merchant ships in war. It could not adequately protect even itself. Britain is said to have so few fast cruisers that she could not guard the liigli seas properly with two or even one modern enemy ship at largo. During the manoeuvres, 19 merchantmen, represented by warships, left England's shores for Arosa Bay, Spain. Protecting them were two battleships and three cruisers. Opposing these was an enemy force of two lone cruisers. It was a test of the "evasive route" principle as opposed to the convoy method. The merchantmen were scattered far and wide over a "war zone" 350 miles long and 150 miles wide in the Bay of Biscay. Seven of those merchantmen fell into the hands of thi* two enemy ships and were captured. One of the protecting fleet and one of the attackers were "sunk." Off the southern coast of Spain four great warships, the Hood, Renown, Warspite and Malaya, screened by two flotillas of destroyers, were warned of an impending submarine attack. Three submarines attacked and easily worked inside the destroyers' screen. Each submarine fired one torpedo and escaped. The Renown was "made useless." Only one torpedo was effective, the others missing their mark, although the targets were clear —four great ships "in, line ahead" not 700 yards away, and travelling at 13 knots instead of modern liners' speed or warships' action speed of 24 knots or more. There was a night encounter in the Mediterranean off the Rock of Gibraltar. The battleships Valiant and Warspite attacked their sister-ship Malaya, won the advantage of first sight and opened fire with four and six-inch star shells and two torpedoes each. Not one shot took effect. The Malaya replied in kind and her first torpedo struck the Warspite and "sank" her. "Budget economy has resulted in curtailment of war practice to the minimum," the paper says. "Reports will bo made to the Admiralty at the end of the tests and the need for a more substantial 'safety line' will be urged."