New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-09-27
German Submarine Exploits and
the Problem of Naval Warfare.

ing OF the British cruisers AOouKlt, CEeSe' anu
Hoepe by German submarine has reyolutionized
the conditions OF naval warfare Just before the
war beran Admiral Sir Percy Scott started letter
writing campaign in 'The London Times" intended
"a prove that the developmen. Of the submarine
had rendered the heavy hghting ships obsolete He
even went so far as to say that in the next naval
var draadnoughts and super-dreadnougnts "oulu
bsve TO be shut up in boom-locked and mine-prO'
tActad bsrbors in order to save them from the
ATTACKS Of the enemy. According to his theories
only the swiftest cruisers would be able 10 Keep
the sea, and all existing plans for holding open
lines Of supply, protecting friendly commerce.
hlocka6,nR or bombarding the enemy's coasts IND
ovsrc,sing the military pressure which goes with
sea control would have to be profoundly mooineu
The events of the war so far have not Justneu
those predictions, notwithstanding the loss OF -FOUR
British sbips through the activities Of German
submarines The British fleets have taken control
Of the seas They have sealed up German ports
mt stop to German foreign commerce and have
insured free communication between Great Britain
and the British army dispatched to the Continent.
In short. british naval supremacy has been estao
isbed in the usual way and has produced all the
practica results at which sea control aims, except
the destruction of the enemy's fleets, which haze
kept out of fighting distance.
The submarine has now proved its ability to go
ont 10 sea and to torpedo blockading ships. But
much of its success 50 far has been due TO the
nneypectedness of the attack 1t was believoi
originally that the first British ship which was
torpedoed-the Pathhnder-had struck floating
mine when the Aboukir was sunk last week he
commanders Of the Cressy and the HoSue evidently
thought that it was case of mine contact and
ordered their ships to close in in order to save Gle
Aboukir's crew Since their engines had been
brought practically to standstill while they lay
in the zone in which the submarine was operating,
they proved easy targets for the latters fire.
The British Admiralty has now given warning
70 commanders against any such counting Of dan
ger. When there are any evidences Of the presence
Of submarines it is the best policy for blOckading
ships to separate and to steam out of peril. Boats
may be launched to look after the crews of a ship
already struck or the task Of rescue may be left to
iestroyeFs. 1t must be remembered that subma'
rines move much more slowly than the big shi s
against which they operate They must steal up
conserved in order TO deliver blow, since they
~ 20 chance against a cruiser or battleship
Il Of it's danger. They can attack success
only when the eneny's ships lie relatively
-e at hand and are under a very moderate 'ad'
way Now that the British blocksding feet knows
that to expect, It's tactics viii undoubtedly be
modified, ana the heavier ships will keep further
OF the coast and be protected more completely by
scouts, airshps and destroyers. The British AID
uiFalty is right In saying that the sinking Of the
Abouklr was ian ordinary hazard Of patrol duty
but that the loss Of the Greasy and the Hogut
could have been avoided"
The function of the submarine in naval warfare
is essentially defensive. 1t is the natural weapon Of
weaker power trying to wear down the strength
Of q superior adversary. 1t can destroy armored
cruisers and battleships. But it cannot do theiI
work in establishing sea control blockading coasts
securing communications and guarding commerce
Even after the submarines Of two hostile navies
have made damaging inroads on each others line
Of battle strength the mastery Of the sea will still
have to be fought for and awarded to the bigger
and better feet Of fighting ships
In its present stage Of development the subma
rne is an auxiliary rather than g principal in
naval var. The torpedo boat once promised tc
revolutiOnize naval tactics. But means of protec.
ton against it we're devised, and surface torpedo
attack iB now a rare occurrence. The submaI g
is vastly more threatening than the torpedo boat
ever vas Yet its range is still Clrcumscribed and
plans to hinder its attack will probably be devel
oped Until the war goes much further It will not
be safe to say that the battleship thing Of the
past, Great Britain's battleshjps are now exer.
cising an enormous influence the military situa.
lion Ia Europe, They have isolated Germany aad
shut her OF from supplies which she sorely needs,
besides helping to cripple her economically The
longer the war lasts the more exhsusting will be
the pressure o. that line Of steel which now hens