SEA FIGHTING TODAY

Waikato Independent, Volume XXXVII, Issue 3269, 20 February 1937, Page 5

SEA FIGHTING TODAY

USE OF NEW WEAPONS

"JUTLAND COULD NOT HAPPEN AGAIN"

Let us try to imagine what a modern naval battle would be like. It would v he very different from Jutland, writes C. A. Lyon in The Sunday Express. The commander-in-chief, the admiral, is up on the admiral's bridge. This bridge is really just one storey of the many-storeyed steel building, like a block at' modern flats, on the flagship's deck. The admiral's bridge is one storey above the captain's bridge. The captain runs the flagship from his bridge. The admiral runs the fleet from his. The admiral, a greying man ,in late middle-age, wears one br,6ad and, three narrowrings of gold .braid ph. his "arm. He stands on a platform, iii .a..sort of bay window, with th<? staff behind him. He may have JSO. stand there for hours eaS the only rest he can obtain is to sit for a few minutes on the high wooden chair like an old-fashioned clerk's stool, which stands behind him. • \

He has no instruments to watch. He does nothing reports, give orders «arid think —and the Empire's-fate is in his hands.

Behind him his staff are plotting the; fleet and th> :^^>B?PJ;. ti .? n§ Wbig ehaHs.' '•■-:;/; : .-;^ < >. ; . M HTEvery ship is at "'action' Not a soul to be seen on the decks of the ship. They are all below or under cover. ' , '

Leaky hoses are running all oyer the decks so & to' keep them wet and minimise the effect of an explosion. '■'. ' ' ''• ■' ;"'"'"" Everywhere in the, ship loudspeakers are broadcasting the bosun's mate's' vvhislle. It .sounds rather like a party squeaker, and it is followed by his voice giving final orders. The bosun's Whistle has come down to the Navy from ages long past. It is not only a call to listen to an order. It isan order in itself just as a bugle call is. The admiral is also giving in advance various orders to the fleet.

They concern manoeuvres; Uncanny Prectei*Htr< Later he will simply say "executive order." A morse key will be pressed down in the flagship and the whole fleet, obeying his order, will majestically turn as if steered .by one hand. Ear stops are being served out to the gunners; Then. . . what? , What will the battle be like? Where will it be fought? How will it differ from previous .sea battles? Even admirals today do not know for . certain the answer to these questions. They have vast new powers and new instruments to work with, anil no one knows just how they would turn out. Nevertheless, here are a few of the solid facts about a naval battle of the future. All previous battles have taken place in well-defined areas, but today a battle might take place at any spot on the oceans of the world, no one can say where. , The reasons are: (1) The general use of oil fuci. (2) Increased efficiency of ships' .boilers. •. ;,-.. .;../. ;,:••'..'• (3) Refrigeration in warships giving indefinitely prolonged food supply. All meaning that a ship can go much further and stay at sea much longer.

The strategic consequences, of fleets being able to stay at sea for indefinite periods and turn up in any part of the world are enormous.

The Air Factor •»

There has never yet been a sea battle fought with the help of air scouting.

There was just one little airplane flitting about in the battle of Jutland, trying to tell the C.-in-C. what was happening, but its wireless messages were never received.

Now the G.-in-C, With scores of well-trained airplanes to assist him, would have at all times a perfect bird's-eye view of what every ship of his own and in the enemy fleet was doing- . . " Contrast that with Jutland. There the C.-in-C. could hot" even see ; what both ends of hisown lines were doing. ; Almost all secrecy has gone out of naval battle Tor ever. The airplanes of one carrier can search most of the North Sea in a couple of hours.

Britain has four aircraft carriers as well as airplanes flying from land stations.

(To be continued)