“WATCHING THE SEALINE.”

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXVI, Issue 10408, 23 July 1912, Page 3

“WATCHING THE SEALINE.”

BRITAIN'S EAST COAST BROADSIDE.

“Tho etiquette of war baa changed ; in future, war, If declared at all, will be declared by wireless,” These words form one of the most remarkable passages in an article in “Pearson’s Magazine.” The article—“ Britain’s East Coast Broadside’’ is the title—shows at a glance where Britain’s fleet will be If war ever comes—and wby it is illustrated by ,a map, spreading across two whole pages, which shows every warship in the British and German Navies at the posts they twill take tip, if that wireless message of war ever comes. The map alone should impress on every Briton the enormous responsibility which the cation has to undertake in being and remaining “instantly ready.” “Oar First and Second Home Fleets,” says the article, "with their attached battle-ornisers and ocean-going destroyers, will be based on onr new naval ports in Scotland. “The First Division, watching the sealine between the Sfaetlanda and the Moray Firth, will be nightly in Soapa Flow, with lights out, the scouts and destroyers throwing out a wide skianlshingdine into the North Sea

“Below Rosyth and the Forth Bridge will lie the heavy metal of the Second Division- and each naval base as far south as Harwich will be strongly garrisoned by torpedo craft and submarines. “That was the plan of campaign adopted while rumours of war were in the air; but it is also, roughly speaking, the plan on which onr fleet-distribution will henceforth be based in time of peace. “This is the etiquette of war has changed; in future war, if declared at all, will be declared by wireless, and consequently one ships must always be approximately in the spots where they wi'i be wanted. “The war fjwoald resolve Itself into a blockade on pur part of Germany’s restricted coast line, Onr warships would not patrol the German coast; the bnlk of onr naval strength would be concentrated in borne waters. The Straits of Dover would he barred and* bolted by a torpedo-craft flotilla, and swift scouts would scour the North Sea. “It is even a saying in the Service that two tug-boats, fitted with wifeless, anchored twenty miles off the German coast, are all that would be necessary to impose an absolnte blockade. “This is the situation tn-day. The disparity between onr naval strength and that of Germany is, still sufficient to give ns security for the present; bat—-Germany is building a .fleet five times as large as is necessary for the protection of bar coast line and her commerce.”