The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-11-30
BRITISH NAVY
 RELIES ON ITS STRENGTH ALONE
Head of Admiralty Issues Challenge to the German
 High Sea Fleets.

Base of British Grand Fleet. Nov. sO-(Correspondenc head of the British Admiralty, speaking the other day in the House of Commons, flung out a challenge to the German navy. He said, "I disclose no secret, or if 1t is a secret I disclose a fact which I should be glad to tell the enemy-when I say that the British Grand Fleet in it's northern base lies behind no shore defenses. but relies on it's own strength alone"
 There are people in the United States who do not appreciate the activities of the British navy, in it's home waters, who think that it lies in idleness, like the German High Seas Fleet, behind impenetrable handbook ed bases. For the purpose of remov. ing this impression, The Associated Press representative was asked to visit the Grand Fleet, live on board the hrst-line battleships, and observe just what sort of a days work it puts in day after day and week after week.
 Ceaseless activity is the motto of the Grand Fleet. Neither men nor ships are permitted to gather rust
  northern tip of the British Isles, 1t sweeps day and night the 14o,OOO square miles of the North Sea on ceaseless vigil, in unf1agging hope that one day It's watching will be re- warded by 8 meeting with the enemy under circumstances wherein he can not avoid battle. Moreover, this sweeping of the North Sea is no mere airnless patrol. In the most casual moves of ships and men there is al- ways directing mind and 8 directing plan. The North Sea is as we'll swept in relation to it's size as the drawing room of a weI1-ordered house. The enemy's coastline is still the British navy's frontier.
 The harbor which has been the home of the Grand Fleet for three years is probably the finest of it's kind in the world. The whole area comprised in this British northern base is about equal to the hundred odd square miles which the Germans evacuated in France last spring. The battleship squadrons, for example, within their own particular section of this great base, have room for every kind of practice manoeuvres, includ- ing target practice.
 On 8 sunny afternoon the cores pondeh saw eight battleships at tur- ret or target practice, a detachment of cruisers in manoeuvres a sea- pfane-balloon ship at work under conditions stimulating those of actual warfare, and off around the edges, various operations by fnnumerable small craft and auxiliaries.
 Night target practice, which also is conducted within the harbor, is al- ways an interesting sight. The bat tleships steam down the nine-mi1e course. Suddenly 8 searchlight picks up target. Instantly every turret is trained, every gun directed. Then a button iN pressed somewhere, and the guns speak as with one voice in a gigantic broadside that awakens the echoes from the hills.
 There is an infinite variety to the turret practice on a big battleship The officer in charge of the turret speaks: "An enemy shell has come in through the turret, killing men numbers 1, 8, and 6. Right gun disabled. Connection with rest of ship lost. Carry on." The dead men" file off to one side and watch their comrades work as they would in actual battle. There is the zest of game to it.
 The officer speaks again: Shell has hit turret, killing all men ex- cept Numbers 1 and 3. Number is seriously wounded. Ammunition hoisting machinery disabled. Fire started in pile of waste behind gun.. Carry on!''e The single unwounded man left in the. turret must now en- deavor to keep the guns in action singie-handed, besides dealing with fire and a seriously wounded man. The dead men" stand along the edge of the turret and watch their com rade's efforts to "carry on'' with in- terest and amusement.
 It is play, butep1ay with deadly efficiency behind it for 1t is intended that in actual battle. there shall not be single possibility with which these men will not be ready to deal.