The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1917-12-03
BRITISH GRAND
FLEET LYING IN
WAIT FOR ENEMY

Base of British Grand Fleet, Nov.
3O.-The head of the British Admir-
atty, speaking the other day IN the
House of Commons, flung out a chal-
lenge to the Germany Navy: he
said, II disclose no secret, or II 1t is
secret / disclose fact which
should be glad to tell the enemy
when / say that the British Grand
Fleet in its northern base lies behind
no shore defense, but relies on its
own strength alone"
There are people in the United
States who do not appreciate the ac-
Invites of the British Navy in its
nome waters, who think that it lies
in idleness, like he German High
Seas fleet, behind impenetrable land
locked bases. For the purpose of re-
moving this impression, The Associat-
ed Press representative was asked to
visit the Grand Fleet, live on board
the first line battleships, and observe
just what sort of a days work 1t 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 or
barnacles. From its base at the
northern tip of the British Isles, 1T
sweeps day and night the 100000
square miles of the North Sea. on
&C useless vigil, in unflagging hope
that one day it's watching will be re-
warded by a meeting with the enemy
under circumstances wherein he can
sweeping of the North Sea is no mere
aimless patrol. In the most casual
moves of ships and men there is al
ways directing mind and direct
ing plan. The North Sea is as well
swept in relation to its size as the
drawing room of a well-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 its
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 manoeuvers.
including target practice.
On a sunny afternoon the CORES
pondent saw eight battseships at tur-
ret or target practice, detachment |
of cruisers in manoeuvers, a seaplane- !
those of actual warfare,
and off around the edges, various op-
erations by innumerable 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-mile |
course. Suddenly searchlight picks |
up target. Instantly every turret |
is trained, every gun directed. Then |
a button is pressed somewhere, and |
the guns speak ~ with one
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 num-
bers 1, 3, 4 and 6. Right gun dis |
abled. 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 ac-
tual battle. There is the zest of a
game to it.
The officer speaks again: "Shell
has hit turret, killing all men except
Numbers / and 3. Number is seri-
ously wounded. Ammunition hoist
ing machinery disabled. Fire started
in pile Of waste behind gun. Garry
on" The single unwounded man left
in the turret must now endeavor to
keep the guns in action single-hand-
ed, besides dealing with fire and
seriously wounded man. The "dead
men, stand along. the edge Of the tur-
ret and watch their comrades efforts
to carry on" with interest and
amusement.
1t is play, but play with a deadly
efficiency behind it for it is intended
that in actual battle, there shall not
be single possibility with which these
men will not be ready to deal.