New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-03-18
ia Ten-MilH0n Dollar
Goliath May Be Sunk by
q David Costing Less
Than Half a Million,
Fact, Not Theory vii
4nSwer the Question.
The Balance of Pozver
Is Now Under Water

airy would seem to indicate
that modern naval warfare is undergo
ing a complete revolution. 1t would be
uremature to say that all the modern
dreadnoughts (some of them costing,
when fully equipped, from ten to fiji
teen million dollars) are to be cast into
the Junk heap as useless. So long as
other naval powers maintain their
present programme of naval cOnstruc-
ton the United States must keep apace.
but that these leviathans of the deep
are Incapable of coping with the sub
marine now seems to be firmly es
tablished
We have evidence of this in the fact
that England to-day. although possess
ing the greatest navy in all her history
Ia navy vastly superior to that of any
other maritime power), is unable to
protect her commerce. even in her home
waters. from submarine depredatlons.
Of course. 100000 tons of shipping de-
stroved by the U-bOats in February Is
only an item in the 100000 of Eng
knd's mercantile tonnage or the 2,3OO.-
900 and 100000 mercantile tonnage
Of France and Russia, respectively. But
It requires only the simplest arithmetl-
cal process to figure how the monthly
loss of 100000 tons Of shipping will
speedily work disaster on Germany's
enemies.
In a sense, the British Admiralty has
officially admitted the inability of her
above-water navy to deal successfully
with the submarine when it ordered
latter the sinking of the Aboukir the
Hogue and the Cressy by U-9. COM
handed by Otto Weddigen) the COM
manders of British war craft to abandon
aconsort torpedoed by submarine and
make all speed in fight. This, practl-
cally. is official admission that the
modern war craft is incompetent TO en-
gage the submarine-and the British
Admiralty is generally regarded as the
highest naval authority in the world.
Never before did the Admiralty order
commanders of English war craft to re-
treat from an enemy OF equal tand III
the case of the U-boats an enemy OF
less) force except in our War OF 1917
Is, when American naval genius had
developed the forty-four- gun frigate so
as to win a series Of victories then un-
precedented. After their third frigate
the Java, had been captured by our
Constitution, the Admiralty issued the
following order to all British naval
commanders: 'In the event of one OF
MS majesty's frigates under your COM
mand falling in with one of these ships
lthe American forty-four-gun frlgate)
MS captain should endeavor, in the first
Instance, TO secure the retreat OF his
majestys ship, but, If he finds that ne
has the advantage in sailing, he should
endeavor 10 maneuvre and keep com
pany with her, without coming to &C
ton, in the hope of falling in with some
other Of his majesty's ships, with whose
assistance the enemy might be attacked
nth reasonable hope Of success.
The order of the Admiralty directing
British naval commanders TO abandon
e0nSort if torpedoed by submarine
seems to verify the prediction made by
Slr Percy Scott, in June, 1914, that the
modern dreadnought, and, in fact, all
soove-water naval craft, were doomed
oy the submarine. mo feet can hide
hseif, said Admiral Scott, from the
seroplane's eye. No vessel is safe, even
10 daylight, from the insidious attack
d the submarine" and he predicted