The Temuka Leader. TUESDAY, JANUARY 15, 1918. NAVAL CHANGES.

Temuka Leader, Issue 7671, 15 January 1918, Page 2

The Temuka Leader. TU ESDAY, JANUARY 15, 1918. NAVAL CHANGES.

Eh,gland's food basket and ’the changes that have liutuly taken place in the navy arc very closely coniipu.leel, so closely that to us [they seem to savour of cause and ofTcci. Britain’s larder is becoming perilously empty, and yet, she has, the most, powerful navy of all nations, of the world, and to her navy ado joined (ho navies of France, Italy, Japan, and America. The smashing of two convoys of food ships between Norway ' and Britain, on October 10th and December. 12th, without adequate naval protection, caused the British press to. ask if Jellicob was still the man for his job. Jolliooc at the <lwpin. ling of the war was a most, valuable asset to, the Empire. His caution and solidity prevented him. from taking risks that might have ]eo(uu'* clis.cl the Allied cause, and brought disaster to its arms. Our navy is iln--1 act, and has the Germany navy twilled up behind mine liclds and in urotectod harbours. Conditions oi warfare both on land and son have altered immensely since 'the boginning of the war. The submarine menace and its treatment by oun naval authorities, for which Jellieue must accept responsibility, have not added lustre (lo put it mildly) on our .-.aval authorities. Nc.v conditions demand new methods, and new methods In most cases demand new men. It may be that the new men may not do bolter than Jell icon and the lieulenants of his school of thought, but iha I, is not the point. The point is that.-something better L possible, and wo cannot blame the British ratepayer who has continually to shorten his girth-strap from asking for a I change in the Naval High Comnnand. 1 All this is without reflection, on Jcl- | Hooii. Indeed, bis successor, Wemyss, may not prove himself * to be Bri -.ain’s heaven-sent saviour of Brilain’s food on the wafer. ,11 is only rigid, however, that, he or someone else should, be given a eh unco.

Yesterday’s rallies gave us summaries of the opinions of the leading papers of Britain. ’I he submarine menace seems to be regarded as the chief cause for the change. The school of younger seamen thinks that the position can be effectively grappled if they arc given a free hand. The navy’s opportunity has brought to the front scores of brilliant younger men of the service, but those, have hitherto been denied the chance «f [moving their supreme worth owing to the method of promotion in thu navy which has for the last hundred years boon the principle of sincerity Wcmyss, it seems, favours younger mon, and a greater degree of iniativo being allowed to officers in certain commands. The younger officers of ; the navy believe in taking a sporting j chance. So did t.ord Nelson. It ho had not, Brit.ain’si history for a hundred years would have been different. When he put his telescope to ids blind eye, and refused to sen his superior officer's command, he commit'ted an act for which he might have hung; at the yard’s arm. But the success which followed his action proved that his superior officer was wrong, and Nelson right. A bad precedent, but who I-nows whether, if then; liad been a few bad precedents of a similar nature during the present war, wo might not have been' nearer peace todnv V