The Washington times., 1915-06-04

pose the German fleet strikes for the
open sea and gets there, with the Brit-
lsh armada on Its trail. EaCn VIII LAM
along Its complement OF alrcraIt ahu n
aircraft-tenders, and the supmarihe VIII VII
be used as much as possible; The arr
craft Of each fleet will fly like hawks.
watching the waters, driving away the
like craft of the enemy, and signaling
the locations Of submarines as they are
discerned.
Signal For Scouts.
An aeroplane having located SUD-
marine will keep as closely as possible
above II, and signal for scouts. These.
getting their directions from the avia-
tors, will follow the submarine. ready
to run II down or blow II to pieces the
instant Il appears. II will be the battle
of the hawk and the shark; q warfare
OF the sky and the sea, OF the heights
and the deeps. such as decade ago no
man would have dreamed might now be
taking place.
1t is known by the naval authorities
that the European countries are build
ing submarines and aircraft In great
numbers. In expectation Of just such a
marvellous spectacle when the great
clash may come. Submarines cost little
compared to the great cruisers and bat
tleships; but aeroplanes represent only
a triffinR expense, and are being pro-
vided In swarms.
Moreover the popular conception has
1t has been proven that in this war the
aviator who attends to his business,
does no fancy stunts-and the regula-
tions severely frown on these-and runs
no foolish risks. has just about as safe
OF actual fighting.
For the purpose of meeting the neces-
stiles imposed by the German submarine
warfare against all shipping. the Brit
,sh ano.,a maritime % suthSritiss t -, are using
craft. They are building vast num-
ber OF very fast ea-going motor boats,
with which they literally will patrol
the waters clear around the islands.
while the admiralty IL keeping informa-
ton about this phase Of their plans as
closely secret as possible. the number
OF these little sprinters OF the sea ts
presently going 70 be 50 immense as to
be quite beyond belief.
To Look For Trouble.
The waters In the danger zone will
be marked Off in checker-board areas.
a motor-boat to every appropriate area.
to be moving all the time, and to let
no periscope come to the surface with
out starting trouble on the instant.
The game Is to make a dead set
at the submarine and ram squarcly into
It before 1t can be ready to use either
Its torpedo tubes or the small guns
which these boats now generally carry.
The British, according to reports
which come from the naval observers
on the other side, are hopeful that
this motor-boat patrol will be highly
effective: and that In short time after
1t Is fully organized the losses Of Ger
man submarines will be so heavy as to
take the edge Off German enthusiasm
about this kind OF warfare.
An officer who had had an opportunity
TO know a good deal about these pre-
parations. pointed out that the combi-
nation of the aeroplanes. one of which
can maintain a survey of a wide area
of water. the motor boats. which are
biggest submarines can go, and the
scout cruisers. cooperating with these.
will make the waters around the Uni
ted Kingdom a pretty hot place for the
undersea destroyers.
These can. indeed. remain under water
In case of necessity twenty-four hours
at a time: but thev are not able to
make long trips without appearing on
the surface oftener.
These lessons OF the European war
are constantly being studied and their
results adapted. by American naval and
military specialists. Conditions in the
narrow waters Of the British islands
lend themselves to defense by means
OF the motor boats, whereas II is
doubted II these would be very useful
as defense on the long reaches Of
our Atlantic or Pacific coast.
For American uses. the combination
Of the scout ship and the aircraft is
still regarded as the most effective de-
fense thus far devised.