Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-07-28

WY ASHINGTON, D. c. July 23.-If the
Nv great powers of the world decide
finally to continue building up their
navies and mics, Development of weapons
of war to an apallingly destructive point is
certain in the next war Waged between pow
erful countries.
If we disregard the question of disarma-
ment now agitating the leading nations 1t
may be taken as a maxim of warfare, ade-
quately proved time and time again, that
weapons of offense, in wartime as we'll as
in eras of peace, are developed at faster
/ pace than the defensive weapons to combat
them can be devised. In time of war the
nation developing a offensive weapon
will guard it's secrets with the greatest zeal
so that it's use will prove a disastrous sur
prise to enemy. Naturally it requires
time to work out proper defensive measures.
The World War demonstrated this axiom
Of warfare many times. The first Canadian
troops against whom the Germans used gas
were slain by thousands because. the means
Of combating gas had not been perfected. The
gas mask reduced the effectiveness OF the
gas weapon, but it's perfection Jagged behind
the development of the offensive gas weapon.
The bow and arrow in ancient times was
powerful weapon Of war until shields ana
helmets of a sort were made. The sword
and lance forced the development o. metal
armor and shields as protective measures. AS
big guns were developed, stouter forts and
heavier arnor plating for battleships fol-
lowed.
The submarine used by the Germans in the
late war wreaked greater havoc in the be-
ginning than after defensive measures were
developed to combat it. These measures
were of various sorts. Camouflage Of mer-
chant ships arming them with rifles, and the
depth bomb greatly reduced losses due to sub
marines. One of the most effective schemes
in reducing these losses was credited to
Thomas A. Edison. 1t is reported that he
made map, noting on it the exact position
and time where all ships were sunk by sub
marines, and by merely changing sailing
times so that ships passed through the thick
ly infested spots under lover of darkness,
merchant ship losses were still further re-
duced Another curious but presumably eff
fective weapon was the policy adopted by the
Allies of not letting it be known whene1 er
German submarine was destroyed or cap
tured. This was done with the intention OF
working on the nerves of the officers and
crews of other submarines and destroying
their confidence in their underwater craft.
Importance of Aircraft
Aircraft was the greatest development, or
the beginning of the greatest modern often
sive weapon of warfare, according to the be-
lief of many army and navy experts. This
weapon has an advantage in mobility greater
| than any ever devised, and defensive meas
ures Jagged behind, as usual. The anti-air-
craft gun was effected but the development
of the offensive aircraft to the point of
greatest efficiency is going forward now, in
times of peace, more rapidly, perhaps. than
during the
The main defense worked out thus far
| against airc4 aft is other aircraft. Anti-air-
craft guns, particularly on shore, are looked
upon as secondary because they cannot keep
pace with the flying attack, and must be con-
sidered as stationary. The element of sur
| prise in airpIane attack renders it impossible
| to be prepared to meet aircraft with anti
! aircraft guns at any particular point. The
| gun is more important as defensive weapon
| for vessels than ashore, as the gun is carried
with the object Of attack all the time. The
| air space which an attacking plane must
| occupy to bomb a ship can be completely
| covered by an aerial barrage of high-eXplO-
siye shells, experts Of the navy say, and this
may render battleShips practically immune
from air attacks, particularly if pursuit
planes are used also to chase and bring down
| the enemy bombers.
| 1t is the view of many naval experts and
! students of the question that the capital
/ fighting ship-the superintendent and the
| battler cruiser-will continue as the main
unit of sea warfare. AS destroyers are util-
| lied as a screen against submarine attack,
and as heavy armor is carried protection
against gunfire, so Gnti-aircraft guns and air.
| planes will protect this fighting unit of the
| sea- This will continue, it is believed, as
| long as warfare lasts and while the commerce
| of the world is borne upon the surface of the
sea.
While fighting ships can be protected
| against aerial attack by roper development