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the world, admit of a larger measure of concentration of naval force in peace and a higher degree of preparedness for war than was formerly possible. Arrangements for the concentration of our squadrons for the decisive battles are therefore made in time of peace. Each fleet or squadron is, as far as possible, kept together, ready at any time for instant action in any required direction.
It is a fundamental principle of Admiralty policy that sufficient force shall at all times be maintained in home waters to ensure command of those seas, and in no other way than by defeat can our naval forces be rendered unable to meet the enemy at sea. If we permanently lose command of the sea, the size of a hostile expedition need only be limited by the resources of the enemy.
3. Action of the Navy in war.-The traditional rôle of the British Navy on the outbreak of war is to seek out the ships of the enemy wherever they may be found, and either bring them to action or mark them if they remain in port. This policy of active offence against the enemy's naval forces as opposed to one of local naval defence of our own coast is still, as it has always been, the only possible way of giving effective protection to the shipping and maritime commerce in every sea on the security of which the economic life of the widely dispersed members of the Empire depends.
The Admiralty are of opinion that so long as our present standard of naval strength is maintained, our fleetsvill be in a position effectively to frustrate any move- ments of the enemy's ships on a large scale within a comparatively brief period of their commencement; and it may be assumed that any movement of the enemy's ships on a large scale will always be followed up by a superior British force with the least possible delay.
4. Submarines and torpedo eraft for coastal defence.-Flotillas of submarines are stationed along certain portions of the coast of the United Kingdom for the purpose of attacking any of the enemy's payal forces which may have succeeded in eluding the vigilance of our main fleets.
Besides the submarines, there would always be a large force of destroyers, either in the ports along the coast or thin wireless call, as, in addition to those that may be definitely detailed for coast defence, the system of relief for those acting over sea will ensure a large number being actually in harbour at their respective bases or within call while going to or returning from their stations. These destroyers, though not specially stationed with that object, will always form, in conjunction with submarines, a very effective second line of defence.
5.-Local defence flotillas.-Local defence flotillas have been established at the principal naval ports.
Their functions are to prevent mine-laying by the enemy in the approaches of the ports to seaward of the area illuminated by the searchlights of the fixed defences, and they may also be employed to give warning to the military forces of an approaching attack by the enemy's torpedo craft by means of prearranged signals, but they should not be relied upon to prevent such attacks, and should be strictly forbidden, under any circumstances, to enter the illuminated area of the defences.
At ports where local defence flotillas have been stationed, it is essential that the officers in command of the torpedo craft should be thoroughly conversant with the military schemes of defence and with the regulations for the control of traffic, in order that the two services may co-operate effectively in the defence of the port.
6. War signal stations.-The Admiralty maintain a complete chain of war signal stations, some of which are fitted with wireless telegraphy, round the coast of the United Kingdom, in connection with the naval system for the distribution of intelligence in time of war. These war signal stations, in addition to their naval duties, keep certain military officers commanding acquainted with the movements of all war vessels (British and foreign) observed, and, in the case of port war signal stations, keep the selected military officers informed of the movements of all vessels approaching their respective ports. The naval officers in charge of naval centres of the various groups of signal stations have instructions to communicate such other information as may be necessary to certain military officers commanding, especially in the event of intelligence being received of a threatened attack on any part of Great Britain or Ireland by a force which would require to be opposed by the land forces.
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