NAVAL WARFARE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23178, 26 October 1938, Page 10

NAVAL WARFARE

[USE 0E SUBMARINES PROVISION BY BRITAIN LARGER TYPES UNPOPULAR NEW VESSELS' WIDER RANGE [from a special correspondent] LONDON. Oct. 8 After consistently urging the abolition of submarines, a plea ignored by other nations, Britain has been obliged to make provision in her Navy for these under-water craft. Developments since tha Great War have not produced large," submarines. Experimental vessels of the type of the British XI., of 2425 tons, completed in 192.1 and scrapped 11 years later, and of the French Surcouf, 2525 tons, completed in 1932 and armed with Bin. guns are now considered too large and unwieldy. Modern developments and science havo brought vessels of 2000 tons and less with surface speeds of 15 to 22J knots and very wide range of action. Devices lor Locating Graft. While the offensive power of individual submarines has not greatly increased since 1918 their general range of action has largely been enhanced. This means that submarine activity and mine-laying may be expected in distant areas formerly considered immune. The acoustic devices for locating submarines with which modern destroyers, escorts and patrol vessels are provided havo been greatly improved since 1918. So have the depth charges, with which submarines are attacked under water. Special anti-submarine schools have been formed for training personnel in the art of detection, while regular aircraft patrols and directional wireless help to make the task of. submarines far more hazardous. Under-water craft are very vulnerable. Damage which would bo trifling to a surface ship may prove fatal to a vessel which has to rely upon her power of submergence. Moreover, since submarines can be forced to dive by fast surface ships and aircraft, in which condition they are slow and virtually blind, their command of the sea they» occupy is necessarily precarious. Strain on the Personnel During a protracted war not more than about one-third of a country's submarine fleet can be expected to be at sea at any particular time. The remainder must be in harbour, refitting and resting their crews. Add to this the highly specialised training necessary, the moral effect of the inevitable losses and disappearances, and the constant strain upon the personnel through the greatly enhanced methods of location and destruction. and it is obvious that the successful operation of submarines has, become increasingly difficult and dangerous. However ably handled, they can never be a match for surface warships suitably protected by destroyers and aircraft. / , > Given an adequate convoy system, with escort vessels, hunting flotillas and aircraft, they should be far less of a menace to merchantmen than during the last year of the Great War when, •with a convoy system in force and antisubmarine operations in full swing, no fewer than 69 U-boats were sent to the bottom by one means or another.