Omaha daily bee., 1915-03-28
SUBMARINES TEST IN WAR
ARE BIG BATTLESHIPS DOOMED
Great Improvement in offensive
Power in Recent NcnrS-In the
Forefront of Naval
strategy.

submarine war vessels have been or
first Importance in destruction i'm the
operations OF the British and German
fleets since the commencement of hos
ulities. The brilliant and effective cN-
plot Of the kaiscr'- fIoiilla recently, in
sinking the three British armorcd ,ruIs-
Drs. AhoulIr Crcssv and ioguc-it is
presumed. Of course, I'm Tn, Nurth sea
was a most STARTLING Accomplishment of
this virtually untrIcd arm of naval war
fare. and it was not the first to the sub
marines credit ON September 3 the
British protected scout Pathfinder was
sunk by German submarine. and ON
the other side of the ledger. an English
submarine entered pcrilous German wat
crs and, after sinking the thud class
protected cruiser lIeIa, escaped safely and
made her station. finishing a long voyage
Here ar" iN, vessels Of Importance ac-
counted for already 10y the submarine In
the northern 'heatcr OF naval opcratloncs.
WIN the swordfish OF modern warfare
on the sea prove to be the decisive Gle
ment in this, its first real test
These successes OF the submarine do
not come as "A surprise TO naval experts
As IL setting the stage for its appear
ance in the tragedy of war, an cXtraor-
binary controversy has Just been waged,
and was being continued. when the
kaiser donncd his shining armor. upon
the power of offence and defence Of these
concealed agents of destruction. No less
an authority than Sir Percy Scott the
father Of the modern navy, asserted that
the submarine was destined soon 10
sweep the mighty, but helpless super
drcadnoughts from the seas and that a
government which spent millions of
pounds in laying down these great ships
was wilfully wasting the peoples money.
There have not been lacking high author
tiles 10 brand Sir Pprcv's heresy as sub
versive Of the English naval supremacy.
and OF the existence of the navy itself
The merits and the limitations OF tho
submarine have been thrcshed out-on
paper; now comes the proving.
strategy in Present War.
In tho strategy OF the first naval opera
lions, the submarine has been a prime
factor. The British fleet. ever ready,
steamed out into the North Sea with
sealed orders, and on August received
its command ito capture or destroy the
enemy" Its exact whereabouts have
since remained n mystery Admiral Ma
han, IN an interview in the Evening Post,
on August B. Eavc It as his opinion
that Admiral Sir John Jellicoe had flung
his ships in an iron arc I'm the North Sea,
with the main ships Of the line Just be
yond the effective range of the German
submarines. We know now that tho
British with proverbial daring seaman
ship. are well within the effective range.
Il is the submarines chance.
At least two OF the kaser's submarines
have been sent to the bottom perhaps
other attacks on the flotilla have been
beaten back. after being espied 10y aNia-
tors scouting in sea-plancs-the most Of
fective aid to a defense against the sub
marine vet devised. Yet it is all LON
bard street to a china orange, as In"
British say, that many a commander in
the royal navy. on duty IN the North
Sea. has had troubled dreams Of his yes
sci being sent TO the bottom while on that
| perilous duty. by 800 pounds of guncotton
in the war head OF a German torpedo,
| fired by an invisible foe
II Is virtually an axiom of modern naval
warfare that the armorcd floating ship.
( Of whatever class. has only one sure de
/ fence against the submarine. and that
| IS in flight and escape through superior
! ity in speed Even the older hattlcship
types. such. for instance, as the Glory.
/ with iSI knots speed, can outdistanCc the
crawling submarine, with a submerged
! speed Of from seven TO GnfrcqucutlyD
! fifteen knots. But that is ingloriously
to recognize the supremacy of a fighting
unit which is a midget i'm comparison
with the Dreadnoughts. The acroplan",
liz @ 80
scout to guard against an attack by sub
marines: the offensive powers of tn"
aeroplauc against this craft i'm dropping
/ bombs, has not, in practice. afforded
much satisfaction Guns Of "a warship
may be- said TO be quite Ineffective as a
means of defense against the submarine,
even though ono OF the German tlotilla
/ attacks was rcpuIscd in this way by tho
! British cruiser with tho loss of the Cor
man I--l5 But tho gunuery of the Birm-
/ lnpham n that instance, brilliant as II
| was. must nave owed a bit To- luck. EvCn
/ his maicsty's gunucrs cannot count upon
/ smashing tho small periscopo of a sub
| marine with 20 she'll before the submerged
! Zoe can deal death blow. Tho ram
ming Of submarine by the enemy is.
rolhpps, ro he expected among N.
phenomena # the present war.
Development of Submarines.
The submarine has come forward
ImiEhtHy in a few years as an arm Of
tho navy Upon It's first introduction.
I less than "a score Of years ago, tho
. British admiralty looked with d'stayor
upon this class of vessels. I'm a short
time, however tine admiralty was con-
WINGED Of the submarines practcahiiiv;
and recent naval programs 81 all ma
lions have included liberal number of
| these vessels. France. even, for two
years under Admirals Aubo ami Fouru.rr
multiplied submarine flu,Ilas % .hc sor-
'Ioas neglect uf the otn.g main clements
of naval power, thereby uaNa. critics
say. displacin- herself as e. h.uu naval
power This policy Was anauIou.p. nnt
IN the .uutroycr-r ..ar Sin n0.,y scott -
opinions ou the submarine. uu. l.-. nl...-
recommendation. rcckouiup Thar France. Uy
+ following the Tplrn.or ,aogr#um,. woa.
'In,, naI -"' submarines .r moss. ..N..
. t., uogrl,ss question Wu" knows u.'