New-York tribune., 1921-06-16
What Is a Strong Nauy?
Batteships Alone Are Weak-Subnarine and Air Forces
Essential
BY Quarterback

The international policies OF Che
United States and the defense of the
country are dependent upon the main
tenance of a "strong navy" States
men and orators are constantly pro-
claiming this fact. They are all
agreed, and they are simply voicing
the sentiments of the people at large
But do they know what elements con-
stitute strong navy in 1927 In many
cases it would appear not. In fact,
the ignorance which largely prevails sd
to the forces and weapons necessary to
strong navy is pathetic. The sub
ject has not been carefully and calmly
considered. AS a result we may spend
enormous sums and find ourselves with
wesk navy. Ws may fail to supply
certain forces that are essential to
naval strength.
What is strong navy to-day? Big
ness alone is not strength. A jeilyfish
is big, but it lacks the aggressiveness
and the striking power Of a little crab
A whale is big. but it may be killed By
the combined attack of iittls sword.
fish and little thrasheri
Before the World War
In 1908, when President Roosevelt
sent our feet around the world, it might
be said that battleships and destroyers
alone constituted strong navy-the
more Of them the stronger. The tor
pedo had an effective range of only
800 yards, the submarine was not de-
veloped, The sirplana was toy, the
battleship was supreme.
In 1914, at the outbreak Of the World
War, the battle cruiser and the fast
light cruiser had appeared, the de.
stroyer had increased in size and the
torpedo had increased in range. But
the submarine, though somewhat devel-
oped, was not greatly feared. It's true
power was not realized. Air forces
were more or less ignored as naval
asset. and the battleship WAS still un-
afraid-it was considered the one and
only true measure of a strong navy.
Aside from the battle cruiser, other
elements were comparatively, insig-
nificant.
The Submarine
Like bolt from the blue the sub
marins appeared upon the scene as a
controlling element in a strong navy.
One submarine sank three English
cruisers in few minutes! The battle
ship was no longer unafraid When
1t went to sea it moved at high speed
screened and protected by large mum
hers OF destroyers and cruisers. Brit
aims Grand Fleet no longer command
ed the sea. The allied navies of the
world barely saved England from
starvation. Thirty submarines en-
ployed daily nearly won the World
War. This fact may be ignored-~as it
is in Congress and at the Navy De-
rartment-but it cannot be contro-
verted. 1t is an awful reality. And
yet in our naval policy we view it
with blind indifference!
1t is claimed that the U-boat was
conquered and that it need not be
feared by a surface feet; that the
destroyer, the depth bomb and the
listening device have rendered it more
or less harmless. This is a fearful
mistake. AS fact, the listening
device has benefited the submarine
vastly more than it has it's enemies.
The submarine is no longer deaf. It's
offensive and defensive powers are
greatly enhanced by the listening
device. Moreover, the new types
cruiser submarines, fleet submarines
and mine-laying submarines -- have
brought the submarine force to the