Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-08-20
RATTLESHIP Is
NOT OBSOLETE,
EXPERTS FIND
Airplane Merely Adds to
: Completely of Naval War
sS fare Report Says.
RESULT OF BOMB TESTS

Special to Indiana Daily Times
and PHILADELPHIA Public Ledger.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 20.-The duel Of
the airpiane and battleship staged in the
Atlantic Ocean of the Virginia Capes
in June and July to determine the
relative merits OF the two arms in the
newer type Of naval warfare. has failed
to convince experts Of the Joint Army
end Navy Board that the battleship Is
obsoIte
AS freely reported the report Of the
board made public Friday by the War
and Navy Department. finds the battle
ship still the bulwark OF the nation s
defense. and the airplane, instead OF
furnishing an economical instrument Of
war leading 10 the abolition of the
battleship has merely added to the com
plexity Of naval warfare"
BACKS ARGUMENTS
FOR GREATER NAVY.
The conclusion of the board based
upon exhausted reports OF the various
actions" amount 70 arguments in favor
Of an immediate increase in Army and
Navy forces and a strengthening of ship
and land defenses with anti aircraft
ornaments In the opinion Of the boa ri
members. General Pershing, General
harboard and General Ham FOR the Army
and Admiral K0ontz, Admiral williams
and Admiral Cole for the Navy, the
bombing tests, which began early IN
June with the dropping OF dummy ssnu
bombs on the radio controlled battleshfp
Iowa, and ended with the dramatic sink
ing OF the German dreadnaught Ostfries-
land under the conclusion of one ton
i y L. mombs accurately placed on and
around her by Army filters. settled no
question OF armament except to show
that nations must fully equip themselves
With all arms, overlooking and reducing
none
SUMMARY OF
BOARDS VIEWS.
The effect of aircraft on future naval
construction as viewed by the board was
summarized as follows:
The mission Of the NAVY is to control
vital lines Of transportation upon the
sea. II no opposition is met from enemy
naval vessels this mission can be ac-
complished without entering an enemy 5
coast zone within which aircraft based
on shore OF in sheltered harbOrs are ef-
fective. Without an effective Navy in
time Of war a nation must submit to an
economic blockade fatal to its trade and
the importation Of necessary materials
for the production Of war supplies.
II heavier-than-afr craft are TO be ef-
greater mobility and since their radius
OF action il not great additional mobility
must be obtained by providing mobile
bases. I. g, aircraft carriers.
So far as known no planes large
enough to carry a bomb effective against
8 major ship have been flown from or
landed on an ai-plane carrier at sea. It
Is probab bic, however. that future develop
ment will make such operations prac-
tica BILE.
Even In the present state Of develop
ment the aircraft carrier. al exemplified
by the Argus Of the British navy. is a
type essential TO the highest efficiency
OF the feet. Aircraft carriers are sub
tect To attack By vessels carrying guns,
xOrpedoes or bombs. and viii require. as
all other types Of vessels require, the
eventual support Of the bsttleship.
The bsttleship still IS the backbone Of
the fleet and the bulwark OF Nations sea
defense and will 80 remain so long as
the safe navigation OF the sea for pur-
poses II trade or transportation Is vital
10 success In war.-Copyright 1921 by
Pubic Ledger Co.