South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-07-07
NAVY OFFICERS DO
NOT CONCEDE AIR
FORCE SUPREMACY
Irrespective of Tests, Fleet
Men Refuse to AcknOwl-
edge Air Strength.

WITH THE ATLANTIC FLEET,
July 6.-No matter what the out
come Of aerial bombing operations
against naval vessels row under way.
these tests will never convince the
officers Of the Atlantic fleet that the
battleship and fighting vessel is to
be displaced by air forces.
Although many Of the officers ad-
nit that they have been forced to
recognize that the aerial fighters
have acquired an admirable amount
of skill, still they refuse TO agree
that air forces are yet a serious men
ace TO lighting sea ships.
The first argument that every naval
officer gives TO the claim OF the
aerial proponents IS that naval war
fare has been the result of years Of
progress and in all Of these years
there has been but one weapon
which has been discarded and that
is the ram. It - pointed out that
for every advance in methods OF at
lacks upon naval craft there has
been developed a new defense.
Warfare is but a cycle of develop
ment, the Atlantic Fleet officers
point out. When the cycle is COM
pIeted warfare becomes only a test
OF strength, and they believe that in
the final analysis no matter how
great the development of the aero
plane, It will be but a test OF
strength.
Getting down 10 specific argument
against the aeroplane and its bomb
ing attacks. the officers of the fleet
rc:nt out that tlaIs far it has not
been proven that there is any sue
cessful armor-piercing aerial bomb.
Until this comes the 'battle-wagOn"
is safe, they say, for when a battle
ship goes into action her vulnera bic
parts are under protection Of a
heavy coat Of armor. Even though
her superstructure and her deck
work and her deck defenses may be
completely blown away she viii re-
main a fighting craft, unless her
armor is penetrated and the vitals
Of the vessel destroyed.
Opponents of Fleet Are Menace.
During the war the men Of the
navy had no fears Of aircraft, they
say. They declare that the British
Grand Fleet which kept the German
naval forces bottled up, lay at an
Choir during the greater part Of the
war within easy striking distances Of
German aerial bases. yet there - no
record Of any successful or extern
sive air attack upon the Grand Fleet.
Have the developments in aerial
warfare come so quick and fast dur
ing the last three years that the
aerial proponents are able 10 sub
stantiate their claims that the bat
tleship is now obsolete? the officers
Of the fleet inquire.
Turning directly TO the bombing
tests which are now in progress, the
fleet officers state that it will be i'm
possible 10 judge conclusively what
the strength Of the air raiders is. for
there has been no defense. There
have been no attacking air parties
and there has been no anti-aircraft
defense. 1t is Impossible, they say,
to estimate the ability OF the defen-
ses Of the fleet until it has been act
uaIly demonstrated.
The officers of the Navy are will
ing 10 agree that aircraft is Of great
value 20 them. They use naval air
craft in their target practise contin-
ually. They feel that there should
be generous appropriations for air
craft as a major defense, out they
refuse to consider seriously any pro-
posaIs that naval developments be
withheld while the nation spends It's
money for aircraft development.
The men Of the fleet feel that
those who would injure the defenses|
OF the nation are menace, and they
are inclined privately 70 consider in
this class those who urge the aboii-
tion OF the battleship IN favor OF the
aeroplane.