Evening star., 1921-02-20

TINE whole world seems to be
more or less ag.tated over the
type of sea fighting craft of
the future.
In some quarters 1t is firmly be-
1ieved that air planes will hereafter
adjust all scraps of the briny deep.
Many authorities take the position
that the country with the largest
heet of submarines is the one that
will rule the seas in the future years
Build nothing but airpianes and sub
marines and cut out the battleships." ="
is the frantic advice urged by some.
Build more of all three types sof
sea-fghting craft-battleships,. air
planes and sU3s,'' is the suggestion
from still others.
"A fleet Of battleships will be as
impotent as feathery snowflakes in
the lower regions when monster air.
shlps a mile in the sky commence
dropping tons of high aexplosives on
their decks declare the champions
of aircraft.
The good old hattleships will con-
,inue to be the backbone of all effec-
rs the Iaconie comment of grizzled old
seamen.
= & 81.
ON the other hand. there Sc ans to
Be considerable sentiment all
over the world in favor Of dlsecatin-
uing the building OF all airpianes,
submarines and batfleships& for
number OF years or forever.
With SO many conflicting opinions
being indulged in. it is small. wonder
that the VARIOUS rulers of the world
and congressman. Navy and Army an,
fhorities and practicsily alt citizens
are industriously discussing What
ought aud what ought not be
done in future naval development.
Cnauestionably.s II is one of the big
gest problems facing the world today
Exciting interest is added to the
stormy controversy hv the suxges-
ton to stage a MISUNDERSTANDING
battle in the near future. The scrap,
OF course. will ts'sa place at Some
point where 1t could be Witnessed by
a large number of neople While
nothing definite has been decided as
to the exact 1oc.l;.. it is believed
however. that this unique and spec-
tacular affray will e'&aer take place
on Chesapeake bav of in the lower
hsrbor of New York.
The enthusiastic champions of the
superiority of the air forces are
"champing at the biz in their eager
ness to show what perfectly simple
thing it will be to fly above one of
Secretary Daniels monster floating
forts and. selecting the exact f-ac-
thon of a second for the job. drop
enough powerful explosives on the
deck of the ship below to blow her
into smithereens. Practically every
"a little job like that is just as easv
. as eating piece of pumpkin pie at
Thanksgiving dinner"
The men in the Navy have quite a
different tale to tell. Some merely
smile and others laugh out loud at
such boasting. They will look you
squarely in the eye and declare that
an airpfane cannot drop bombs on
a battleship.
There is only one way 10 settle
that the Navy will respond to the
def of the air chailengers by offer
ing the monster German battleshiD
Ostfriesiand- as the sacrificial lamb
for the festive occasion. The ost-
fricsland. according to the peace
terms. must be destroyed within
year by the United States. She is
now lying at anchor at the New
York navy yard. where she was
brought some time ago for the ex-
authorities a chance to study Ger
man ship architecture and see il they
possessed anything Of superior
character.
THE result of the contest will be of
= worldwide interest. II the air
plane quickly sends the Ostfriesland
TO the bottom of the ocean IL will
give airplane development tremen
dous boost, and people everywhere
will loudly demand increased appro-
priations for the construction of air
planes. But II the explosives miss
The battleship and splash harmlessly
down to the Fairgrounds of the fishes
n big noise will be made for more
of the good oidfashioned battle
ships.
decisive and epoch-making expert
,nent as attend the many futile at
tempts Of Sir Thomas Upton to lift
the cup"
high oficials of the United States
NAVY think about the relative merits
of various types of fighting craft for
the future.
y The general board OF the Navy.
" hich is composed OF Admiral X. r,
Badger. r H Jackson. Andrew Long.
II. +. Mayo, W. l.. Rodgers and J.
Strauss. Commanders NJ. X. Mercalf and
F. A. Todd and Lieut.. Col. l.. e. Lucas
and Mai. Gen. John A. lejeune of the
Marine Corps. have given this question
much considera tion.
For twenty years this board has
been charged with the duty of rec
ommending TO the Navv Department
tho proper types of ships for the Navy
each in due proportion. Particularly.
since the close of the recent war ac-
1ivities. more than two years ago. the
coperaI board has devoted itself to a
study OF changes proper to adopt in
the composition Of the fleet in view
of the experience OF four years of
war. Here are some of the conclu-
eions of this famous board:
Concentration of power in attack
is the fundamental basis of all war
Gke oAS2t:ons, ashore and afioat