Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-08-01

OF our submarines. which excited the
Justified admiration OF the whole world.
1t has been possible sorely 10 wound
the British fleet.
HELP TO ACCELERATE
DEMAND FOR PEACE
In addition. our submarine arm has
busted itself since tho beginning Of the
year In an entirely unexpected way, as
a destroyer OF commerce. Views may
differ as to the final outcome in this
field. but it is undenia BILE that a nation
like Germany. whose commerce has
been driven from the seas, but which
can subsist without imports, has an
extraordinary advantage over a coun-
try dependent almost entirely, like
Britain. upon importations of food and
raw materials across the water.
The submarine danger unquestionably
weighs like n nightmare upon the in
habitants of the sea- washed land. The
future results of the wide extension, as
We hope, OF the fruitful activity OF QUIZ
submarines cannot be predicted, but
the expectation is generally cherished
in Germany that the submarine cam
paign will help to accelerate the de-
mand for peace in England.
Every type Of warship has fallen
, victim to German subnarines-the hat
tleships Formidable. Triumph and Ma
testic. the armored cruisers Hogue.
Greasy and Aboukir, the Russian
, arnored cruiser Pallaba. the cruisers
Hawke and Pathfinder and the British
, destroyer Recruit. for example-and
neither the express steamer nor the
slow fishing boat Is safe from our
( deadly torpedocs.
, In addition, the aerial arm of the
service has won many laureIs. Yep
, pclins crossed the North Sea safely.
even TO London and back, and German
heroplahes participated in the destruc-
'ioh or the enemies war and merchant
ships. The question whethe- airships
and acroplanes could be used offensive
| ~ at sea must. In the light of the
achievements of our aircraft, be an
swered afiirmatively.
German aircraft have even fought
successfully against the dreaded sub
marines Russian submarine was
destroyed In the Baltic by bombs from
an aeroplane. and at least one British
submarine met the same fate in the
North Sea.
The general fear of submarines is
Responsible Tor the remarkable spec
tacle OF the heavily armed and strong
! ~ armored battleships rarely ventur-
ing TO leave sheltering harbors-ships
which before the war were counted as
decisive factors in sea power but which
| hnd themselves condemned to inactive.
roles. Clashes Of heavy battleships,
like those in distant waters. have
( borne out the old rule that superiority
In numbers, artillery and speed make
UP the decisive factor for victory.
EXPLAINS REASON
FOR NAVAL VICTORIES
The British were defeated off Cor
onei. Chile. because the Monmouth and
Good Hope depended for the most part
on six-inch guns, while the German
cruisers Gneisenau and Schnrnhorst
carried many S.3-!nch guns The vic
tory at the Falkland Islands was easy
for the British battle cruisers Invinci-
bic and Inficxible and their consorts be-
cause they mounted twelve-inch guns
and also were much faster than the
| German ships.
| I'm warship duels also weight and
, armament were decisive. The Sydney,
armed with six-inch guns. was thus
/ able to destroy the Emden,s with only
! 4.2-inch cannon.
| The lessons which may be drawn
I from past events may be summed up
! briefly as follows:
Superiority of technical material
plays. as in earlier naval battles, an
important role. perhaps to greater
extent now than before Given crews
practically equal in skill. the side which
is inferior in artillery and speed is at
so heavy a disadvantage that victory
Is possible only under exceptionally
! favorable circumstances.
The submarine has proved itself a
: thoroughly dangerous weapon 10 which
| unsupported possibilities must be con-
/ coded. All methods of defense hitherto
! employed have failed TO fulfill their
i purpose in requisite manner.
, 'Dirigib!es and aeroplanes have not
only demonstrated their value in scout
! ing, but also have been engaged efrec-
: lively upon the offensive.
/ The lessons learned even thus far
will have marked influence upon the
| construction OF fleets. and I can under
stand In the United States why efforts
are being made TO take advantage of
| them"