ATOMIC BOMB AT SEA

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23289, 27 August 1945, Page 5

ATOMIC BOMB AT SEA

U.S. Navy Concerned (7.30 p.m.) NEW YORK, Aug. 25. The Navy is seriously concerned with the damage atomic bombs might cause the fleet in future and has perfected weapons which it hopes will prevent any atomic bomb-laden enemy plane from getting within 16 miles of a battleship or carrier. The Washington correspondent of the “Herald Tribune” says the chief weapon is a long-range radar-con-trolled gun, which is slated to be capable of locating and shooting down an enemy plane 10 miles away. The range can be* extended "with almost foolproof accuracy."

Another weapon is a pilotless aircraft capable of great speed, which can be semi out to intercept and destroy 0 hostil-" plane many miles from its objective, in spite of evasive tactics. The Navi is not sure what ' I'ret the atomic bomb will have on water. A spokesman pointed out that water is not so compressible as land areas, but conceded that an atomic bomb disturbance might engulf and sink an entire fleet. Advocatiiig tl'.id the i lited Etutes Fleet should be substantially reduced. Admiral Spruance said: "The only countries with major fleets are Britain and ourselves. We are certainly not get,ting ready to fight each other. I cannot see a situation arising where tire British and American people would tolerate trouble. We cannot maintain tire present size of the navy. It is too much of a drain on tire country. Some modern ships will go into the reserve, some will be sold and some scrapped.” Mr James Forrestal, Secretary to the. Navy, estimated that the Navy after the war wov.fd consist ci hit) ships and 8000 planes in active commission. The remainder of the ships would go into i:r’ 're-' rve