The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-08-29
tBy ADMIRAL SIR PERCY SCOTT,

Before the war n was generally known that our army was not pre- pared for a war with O Continental country; 1t was generally thought that our navy was prepared for a war with any Continental country or combina- ton of them. That our navy was not prepared for war was only made known to the public when Lord Jel- Scoe's book was published.
 When Sir John JeIlicoe was ap- pointed as Commander of the Grand F1cet the public assumed that his fleet was numerically stronger than tho German fleet that his ships were better than the German ships, that our g1Innery was better than the Ger mans, and that our ships were pro- vided with the very best implements to insure suoceSsi in other words that our flaet had the most up-to-dste weapons that science and invention had been able to provide The public assumed that those responsible for tho equipment of our Fleet had read Baron Munchausen's travels publish cd in I76S, and that, acting on the ndvioe given in that book. they had RakI nothing to chance.
 In Baron Munchausen-s travels tuA,apeer vO tt says;-'|He would be a WHY blameable and imprudent Ad- uzfpnl or General who depended upon uhxnoe, without troubling himself about theso arts which are their par tsouinx pursuits, and without Provid- tnw tho very best implements whtch ensure s0ccesS"
 rho country provided Sir John Jel- fApoe with one asset which ensures auoooas, and which did ensure suoce0s r,-sh~ skdIi, inttiatvie, ability and in
 rxR fHNaa sNfffRRF4 rnan of the Royal Navy, Mercantile Marine. and fishermen of the United Kingdom. Hero he was superior tS the enemy.
 The Hun navy lacked intt1attvenes1 and courage In not entering the Scapa Flow in 1914, sinking our fleet ana winning the war; proclaimed them selves as foul and inhuman lighters py their tiu-and-run bombardments Of our undefended watering places; they sank hospital ships. and glorified In seeing women and children drowned; they fired on open boats full Of men whom they had compelled to leaVo their ships Their navy's record is cruelty, chichanery, and barbarlty.
 Admiral Won Scheer has stated that ,bo sInkine of the Hun fleet at Scapa Elovv vvas a brave deed; that 1t prov cd that the spirit of the fleet is not dead and that the action is true to 4ba hest traditions of the German navy. Opening valves and lettlnS , 1whan there was no one there to stop in ships sirk Is considered by Ad- rniral Won Schecr to be a brave acuoh and trus To the pest traditions or inc German navy.
 i Win our knowledge of their men taIify. it is exactly the opinion tha' we should expect from a. Hun AuInlral' | The statement Is of value in snoWlnS The great advantage that SIT Johh YoIItcos had over the Huns, as re- gards the personal moral or ms 's. Ioe
 .y,ia war has proved that the BTU ,.,, F1aet was prepared for war as Tar aa courage and morale were concern oJ Now let us examine its unprepar- odness as regards those implements of war which are necessary to insure success. ,s
 Refore the war the Admiralty was os certain that a submarine could not sinlx a battleship as the War OHlce 1,,as certain that a Zeppelin could not corue to London. Before the war thoSo responsible for the prepareuhess OI our Fleet for war would not peLeT that the submarine was the most TOT Y,idible weapon that coulu oe uainHt lAlaHu Jf
 -,ended for its supplies from overseas 1-,,, want of belief obtained, not --;+bs+andIng the fact that fin all our ! ,o1...a NTaroeuyres the submarine hao ! dor,onstrated its deadly potentlaHIy. | A conseauence of this want oA I,royledse of what the suDHliIi Iii1e ,o,,,d and would do, when war came
 ra no orotected harbor to put Our Flee. in. They were anchoreu III s,sa scapa flow with the door open Cor oerman submarines to coHle H ana aiplS them. Why the Briusn ieot -vaa not sunk perhaps Admlrai S0 -r,Il some day tell us. It LOOKS 'S - - 1yere not in accordance Wlth 'he herman traditions to take any ..s~.
 ro..,,r.r t, our regarding submarines
 -, setter than toys. in addition to
 -. h.vinp, A safe harbor TOT our .r,t ,,,a had not evolved any meth-
 ; attack on submarines. we hau l .anth charges. no listening nsIu ss Iio no nots. and no efficient patrol -, ,,a had nothing, and Tor sotns p.,I' .,,, authorities did not think lt .iliiS .'i..'a.-, to do anything. They still ,.oe-,rasd the submarine as a toy
 s.s,o Ifogue and the Greasy ana the Ahouk,r were sent out 10 crui- i.1cy soeed. with result that aAL sii. oo .htp. vith taei- gallant crews or ..ooO osr,.ors and men went to tho bottom
 rn % November 1914. A depth charSs
 .Ns.h turnaa out to De the onlS ,,othoa of attacking the suei',a ,yaa propo<ed sy Captain F. Co'of.io' B N it was a good idea and the n-aa. could have been fuily sup nitad by the end of ths year,
 sir John Jsilieoe begged for them hut their manufacture had to g" fbrouKh the usual ordeal Of the Ad- ,niraity delay. and ''Red-tapsisnn' 90 fhat ttsy were not supplied in GuSh- k0ty untii the beginning Of lSio-A ,xear lost. and we were at way In ths w4nOinz oS which. time was the most frnp0Ftant factor,
 For repair and 10 keep their .ssaDainS efficiency up to the mark me, of waF must be put Into dook' ard yye had no dock at Scapa Flow or near,
 We had no sFihoiine neF pTotect'cn So pat around our ships to prevent lfl,eyln striking a nainsi we found no rntre-cs tehiag arrangements, and we Tad no efficient miBo, The Germans haa a splendid mine; VIC had the