The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-04-02

- ~ NV Y" VI ~ II VtVus
RI acknowledged to be the best ias
naval exper Of the world. not only
upon the problems of this war. hut
sl.o upon the naval problems Of the future
Al he sees them prophetieally as the result,
n careful study OF the present wars de-
yslopments And. what Is Of more init
mate interest to the people Of America, here
as well are his views a. to our own navy.
developed after minute consideration of our
fleet and programme.
Mt. Pollen is well known in Europe as
a pioneer In long range naval gunnery and
me inventor Of a scientific Are control sys-
TEN. The Pollen range finder is a great
advance on all previous instruments. With
it ranges may be taken almost In the dark.
and It's construction is such hat it is en-
,irely unaffected by changes Of tempera-
ture. Furthermore. To 1t liz attached a
recording instrument. SO tha, the mere
operation Of observing and Ringing the
enemy automatically produces a plan both
( Your own and Of the enem.'s track
through the water.
Prof Vernon Boys. the greatest author
~ on scientific mechanics in Europe. has
pronounced the Pollen clock to he the most
perfect integratins instrument in the
~ord When the speed IT the firing ship
and the range bearing. speed and angle OF
course of the enemy are So, upon it this
device viii keep all the sights If a ships
guns automatically set Ia the RICH, firing
range. n" matter how rapidly the firing
ship manPuvres. Until this instrument
vas invented It was impossible for a battle
ship 20 IRE accurately when under helm
ana without il ships can only hit when on
ss,eady course.
.What has the war so far given to the
worlds paval knowledge" was the frst
question which | asked ~ him a. We sat
by his fire in London.
The most obvious lesson" he replied.
- that the battleship remains the supreme
enbSiiment of naval force, and therefore
remains the arbiter Of naval war. This
s beca use the weapons with which II is
s.med represent the best known combina-
ION ~ range. severity Of blow and posi-
Diues Of accurate use.
"There always has been a contest be-
tween the advocates Of the gun and the
torpedo, pro-torpedoites alleging that when
their ~favorite weapon strikes il is the most
terrible Of destructive forces. and there
has been the second argument that the
i~orpedo's blow is delivered by an unseen.
slre, agent. Tine latter is to some extent
a felis..
at vas the advent If the submarine far
more than the development of long range
n the torpedo itself which favored the,
torpedo. Sir Percy Scott. the last great
authority to express fears that the battle
ship had been superseded, based this appre-
henson Tor his prophecy rather on the
fat that the torpedo IL carried by a sub
maine rhan upon the range, speed. size
and accuracy II the torpedo Itself.
war has proved these suggestions to
y fa.lacies. Not a single British ship
which did not leave Itself open to attack
by torpedo has been torpedoed by a sub.
marine, unless we except the Roxburgh. q
cruiser which was not sought but which
ny accident ran by a submarine on tn
high seas.
The Aboukir. the Greasy and the Hogu.
when they we're hit were going far too
slow ne Formidable was in a fleet travel
'ng at low speed in company. None Of
mo four Vas defended by destroyers. The
Triumph and the Majestic were ~torpodoed
~ the Dardanelles, but the attack was ex-
pec'ed. Apparently they were subjected
"h for experimental purposes.
NO one knew then whether or not de-
'F"i"rs could protect stationary ships. Al
me end II more than eighteen months Of
war during which all German naval hopes
were BASED upon a~ttrition and during which
GERMANY has done her best according to
'"d' theory If torpedoes and mines. the
ngh'1ng strength which We possessed be-
TORE the var hardly has been at all affected.
brts h additions, Then. made during
Wv war nave been ell to the good. the
submarine campaign against the British
navy has been a failure and all hopes Of
''"rS"l!ng the sattlcship have crumblcd
d" not pronounce the submarine
~"SS n war. Skilfully used il can do
"0ch IN waters which an enemy nominslly
u" IN a really inadequate manner con-
trolls.
roi instance, British submarines have
wv into tho Sea Of Marmora and the
"'"' IN face Of difficulties which should
""e heen snsuperable. Their successful
~'a''n against German and Turkish
"'"Sp''i' and wsrships was due partly
=" good handling NJ our submarines and