The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-11-14
AS SHE APPEARED ON HER OFFICIAL
TEST F ROCKLAND. ME.
Rear Admira Beatty
Emphasizes Need of
Strong First Line
of Defence

G. Ham. who commanded the seven forts con
%stituting the permanent defences Of Boston. said
in effect that the batteries were too close to the
city 10 guard it efectually from bomhardment
and that for the proper defence Of Boston the
seacoast guns should cover a strategic area OF
far greater reach.
This means primarily that the naval weapon,
is superior in range To the rifles which the army
has placed in our coast batteries, AMI therefore
our immediate security lies in the line Of defence
which the national fleet should he able TO inter
pose between our shores and the Sluadrons Of an
oncoming enemy. Just take an atlas and scale
on the extent Of our coast line and it will be
evident that the navy must be greatly enlarged
II II ~ Ia he able to guard against surprise AMI
to hold the foe AT bay no matter how fast he may
move or how large may he the force that he can
bring to bear against US. The modern battle
line. and by this term is meant the whole system
OF mobile defence, calls for numerous units OF
varied sorts. This is necessary in order that the
superintendent may do the work which IL
peculiarly its own, that of either attacking the
enemy in his own waters or Of meeting him many
hundreds Of miles away and bringing him to
battle there.
As the principal naval actions Of The present
war have disclosed, the battle cruisers have n
very important part To play. They tll II special
place in the modern battle line. and no other
craft il capable of performing certain If their
distinctive functions. The United States navy
needs battle cruisers-a goolly number Of them.
Then In order that the >uperdrcadnoughts may
he better able to do their work each luttlcship
should be supported by ut least four satellites
in the shape of torpedo boar dc>troyer>, and these
craft should he hNg enough 10 L. weithrrly in II
heavy gale ana capable of making under trying
conditions Il speed If thirty knots an hour.
Again. for each drcadnought there SHOULD he an
equivalent of TWO submarines. ana these should
he Of II SeAg'inc type, possessing wild" radius Of
action and able 10 make ut least twenty knots
an hour.
The lnitel STATES navy is weak in submarines
The laSt manTuvres taNnl these boats To- the
utmost. IN" men aboard of them handled the
craft with skill, hun il WAS plain thar even the
biggest Of The submarines could not II" counted
upon in time of need to do what this order ~
fighting machine is doing abroad, The navy
requires submarines of greater tonnage even for
the immediate defence Of the coast. 10 say
nothing Of The work cuI out for the So-calInl sea
going S,lbm"rSble, Speed, ami plenty If it, has
been the deciding factor IN favor of the naval
>iciors. and the faster your enemy moves the
further off shore he mlst he intrrcepted in order
to keep him from reaching his coai ~ breaking
through the inner defensive ring. Proper pre-
lmredness. therefore. the authorities say, rrrui res
that the best Of the suhmnr ncs built and in
process Of const ruction for The United States
navy should he rciegatrl To harhor defence and
that II hotllla Of larger sulmcr>ihleS of he most
improved type and widest radius Of action should
le created ms soon as possible,
These are conclusions that the war games Of
the present year have demonstrated, The au-
thorities say further that there is nt-d Of II
balanced fleet ms well Ms a large one, and an
organization Of this sort consists properly not
only Of lighting ships bun also of auxiliary craft
of several different kinds, There must Ia. supply
vessels carrying food, others with stores Of
powder and shell, and Golfers and tankcrs onpa
BILE Of furnishing ample fuel for the active
There must he hospital ships for the speedy
transfer of the wounded from the fighting craft
ana transports ever ready 10 make NJ any de-
hciencles OF the personnel Of The various units.