The spectator., 1921-02-11
MYSTERIOUS DEVELOPMENT OR INVENTION IS TALKED OF
 AMONG NATIONS.
SUBMARINE OR A!RPLANES?
Discoveries, It Is Rumored, Will Make the Battleship Obsolete-Our Navy Department Seemingly Is Giving Matter Little Attention.
By EDWARD B. CLARK.

have been made in naval Warfare. Whether these discoveries are inven- tions or advances in naval science re- sulting from observation of operations during the late war, is not disclosed"
 The quotation comprises the first two sentences of an editorial which has just appeared in the Washington Post.
 Last summer in New York city ru- nor was current in circles which may be called scientific that complete changes were coming in naval opera tions, and that the nation which should cling to present-day methods, and keep its eyes closed to developments, would find itself speedily out of any conflict which might come.
 There was some ething even more definite than rumor concerning this matter. It was said specifically that the Navy department of the United States had been given the details of an invention which would make the battleship obsolete, and that while the department apparently was not paying much attention to the informa- ton which had been @it before it, the navy offices of other countries had been Investigating, inventing and ex- permenting along lines parallel to those which 1t was suggested the Unit ed States should follow
 No one knows, of course, definitely just what form of thing it is with which investigation, invention and eN- pertinent are concerning themselves. There are two contrary stories. One is that new submarine has been in vented which, without any danger to itself, can put battleships and cruis- CTS out of commission at will, and the other is that nirplane improve ments have come about so rapidly that battleships will be unable to make any adequate resistance to at tacks from above.
 Great Britain Awaits Developments. Gfcat Brirafn today has called u halt in its navy building program. Some students of naval matters hold that Great Britain Is waiting 10 determine definitely whether the new inventions will do all that Is claimed for them, and that if 1t Is found that they will, the whole nature of naval construc- ton in Great Britain will be changed to meet the new conditions. In other words, It is said that Great Britain Is holding back in order to avoid Il great expenditure of money on types of ships f.n tA hn nla either as means of defense or of of fense.
 An engineer of high standing in New York city told the writer definitely not long ago that the Navy depart ment had before 1t certain plans which, if given the consideration they deserved, would stop the building of all great battleships. l made some subsequent inquiry concerning this matter, and while 1t did not lead into the Navy department, it led to some Information which made It seem prob able that the naval authorities of the world are giving consideration to cer- tain newly proposed methods of sea warfare which. if proved worthy, would change the sea fighting of the future.
 Something New in Torpedo Boats.
 In Washington there is definite in formation concerning the development of "a small, almost submerged tor pedo boat. capable of operating in a fairly rough sea, and possessing great speed" which Is one of the advances to be credited to the United States. The question is. if this type of tiny fighter will render battleships obso- lete. Of course 1t cannot make them obsolete unless the ingenuity of the defensive Is far behind in the race with the ingenuity of the offensive.
 Most of the students of the situation seem to have came to the belief that if great battleships are to go by the board, 1t will be because aviation has advanced to degree that will enable airships to put battleships speedily out of commlssion-absolute sink them as the result of a bombardment from on high.
 Presumably It Is commonly thought that battleshlps With antl-aircraft guns car save themselves from air attacks. They cannot do anything of the kind As has been written time and again aviators are not fin the least worried about shrapnel or high explosives which are fired at them from the ground or from the decks of battle. ships These antl-alrcraft guns al- most never hit their mark,
 Inauguration to Be Simple.
 At the request of President-elect Harding all plans for great dis play on the occasion of his lnau- guration on March next have been cancelled. There will be no pa- rade down Pennsylvania avenue, and no inaugural ball in the pension build ing or elsewhere, and no popular car v,tt,al for tho ant a,.+c In, s<s ..tuk.nu.