Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-05-21

distances, crossing the ocean and sink
ing vessels in sight OF the American
coast Because Of this failure it was not
until the war was far advanced that the
necessary defensive against the U-bOat
was developed. AS the submarine was
the creation Of American brains. so the
antidote to it was conceived in America
Now, however the argument as to the
continuing value of the dreadnaught may
end, there can be no doubt that in the
next war-if there should be a next war
the submarine will play a most i'm
portant role. It will be bigger and
more powerful, and capable of discharg-
ing more torpedoes. But it will never
again be the surprise to an unprepared
world which 1t was in this war.
Probably the foremost and most able
contender that the day Of the dread
naught is at an end was Admiral Fisher.
former first sea lord Of Great Britain.
who won renown for building the first
great aIl-big-gun" ship, and who was
the innovator behind many important de
yelopments in the British navy.
"sCRAPPED ALL
DREADNAUGHTS."
Shortly before his death-which oc-
Cured only a few months ago-Lord
Fisher. who had retired from active serv-
ice, told the British public. and as much
Of the world as cared to listen. that the
submarine had scrapped all the dread
naughts, just as the dreadnaughts drove
all prior warcraft into the naval discard.
Sir Percy Scott and other retired Of
fcers in Great Britain and America agree
with the late Lord Fisher, General
Mitchell-or "Admiral-an army officer
who essays to qualify as a naval expert,
has advised Congress 10 spend all the
money at its disposal on big ight-ships
Of the air.
But no responsible naval officers
charged with maintaining naval eff
cheney, have shared these extreme views.
An important question which must be
answered before there can be a final
settlement of the dispute concerns the
probable effectiveness Of the airship in
attack upon a dreadnaugh? What
chance has a dreadnaught Of being sunk
by bombs dropped from aboveT On this
point as yet we have no reliable data.
FAIL To SINK
BATTLESHIP.
Last year the navy tried some expert
ments in order to test the effect Of
bombs upon a battleship. We used the
Indiana, an antiquated craft without
value except Tor some such demonstration
purpose. Bombs were dropped upon her
from an airplane. They were loaded
with heavy explosives, and they did, in
some cases. pretty serious damage. But
they did not sink her. She took the
punishment and remained ahoat until
other bombs, placed under water, ex-
ploded with such force that several
seams in the ships bottom were ripped
loose.
This, however, was no test of what
would actually happen in a fight be-
tween an airplane and a dreadnaught.
The Indiana was anchored. and had no
ant-aircraft guns. She made neither an
attempt to escape nor to return the fire
OF her attackers. She merely lay there
while aviators circled above her and
practiced dropping bombs on her at their
leisure.
In actual warfare the dreadnaught
would be steaming full speed, with prob
ably a zig-zag course. She would be
turning anti aircraft guns on the attack
ing plane. II is open to question whether
thu bomb-droppers would make many