New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-02
Says U-Boats Could
Blockade u. S. Ports
Naval Expert Declares Fleet Would Be Unable
to Cope with Submarines Germany Could
Send Across the Atlantic

ravy also is deplorably short, hence II
could offer little assistance TO the Brit
ish. They have all the big battle-cruls-
ers they need at present.
"As for submarines, the present Brlt-
ish blockade is about as tight as IL
could be made, and any assistance IRON
Us would not be needed there, even II
VIC were in a position TO give H..
"Whether our warships would be sent
10 cooperate with the British in Euro
pean waters probably would be ques-
ton decided by agreement between the
two countries. From our standpoint, II
would seem most advisable TO have our
navy remain at home. because OF the
large amount of coast II must protect.
On the other hand. the British might
demand that our battleships be sent
to aid them, and we might be Obliged
to comply. Our attitude with regard
to our navy would depend largely, OF
course. on what action Germany took
Admiral Fiske's Testimony
As TO the most effective means OF
preparing for the defence of TINS coun-
try on short notice, the testimony given
by Rear Admiral Bradley A. Flske pc
fore the Committee on Naval Affairs IN
Washington, last March, IS important
Admiral Fiskc believes aeroplanes
would prove the most effective coast
defence that could DC obtained on short
notice.
1--WE arc Just as weak in battle
cruisers as we arc in aeronautics,' said
Admiral Fiske before the House COM
mittec. "but in one year We could do
? lot in acronau'ics and wc could not
do much i'm battlc-cruiscrs. We may
90, intro trouble when this war ends
and battle-cruisers arc not going to
hel3 us unless they arc constructed
and in the fleet.
"The thing that is most exciting the
public is. think, the fear Of invasion.
OF course, that is the most horrible
thing that can happen to any country
TO have its soil invaded by an enemy;
nothing is so had as that Now, tc
help us in that event, We need COM
petent aeronaut.cal corps, and we neea
il right of. To do that we could get,
in cmergen ~. lot Of people from the
outside. Inc Aero Club Of America
is doing a great deal, and is very much
interested.
AerOplanes Best Defence
"If VIC got 900 ae-oplanes together
and got them well organized--some OF
them iarge-to meet an attacking force.
we would have air craft that could
drop large bombs and launch torpedoes
and il would help to great extent.
You see, we could get ready to do that
probably in year. Then when II
came TO their Harding the men to make
the invasion, actually getting ashore,
getting on the beach. getting their guns
ashore, getting their ammunition
ashore, and getting their food, and all
of those things ashore. they would
have reached the very ticklish period
of their operations. If you had 1000
aeroplanes, and they dropped bombs
on those fellows, especially those in
the boats, you would present an attsck
that they have not yet learned TO In
swer. So | think aeronautics is the
thing on which we can get to work
quicker, and by which we can accom-
plish more thar by anything else.
Suppose rome battleships down off
Sandy Hook or Long Beach are going
TO lombard the City Of New York. A
few big aeroplanes could get down
there and launch Whitehead torredoes
and seriously endanger the battle.
ships"
In discussing the effect of a block.
ade of the United States, in his recent
" published book, 1.-THE Navy as
Fighting Machine" Admiral Fiskt
reaches conclusions similar to those OF
the naval expert quoted above on that
subject