1936-03-25 — Page 18

THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH, Wednesday, Marcit 25, 1936,

DEWARS

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WEDNESDAY, MAR. 26, 19:36.

PLANNED SECURITY

Now that the British Govern-

tions.

as she lay disabled in the Dar- danelles, during a period of six days, without inflicting any damage of importance.

Much more recently every available bomber in the Greek Air Force was concentrated on the old armoured cruiser Aver- off as she steamed from Salamis to Crete, but failed to affect her movements,

The Chilean Air Force has been credited with having sup. pressed a rebellion by bombing the still older cruiser O'Higgins while lying at her moorings in harbour. In fact, they missed the ship entirely, but one of the bombs happened to swamp boat in which the rebel chiefs had embarked to join the ship. Thus deprived of its leaders the revolt soon. subsided. It should be noted that none of these

ment has appointed a Minister NOTES OF THE DAY

for Co-ordination of Defence, it

will be possible to institute such STONY ROAD measures of reform in the

"The manoeuvres... indicated conclusively that the fixed defences and mobile garrison of Hongkong are in an improved state of efficiency, although the Colony is in equally obvious danger if threatened by prolonged and ferocious attack from the air.”

"Official Communique,

Hongkong, as an important naval station, is acutely interested in air defence. Would the Colony, and especially the China Squadron, be able to defend itself if hostile enemy aircraft were to suddenly appear overhead?

The question is here presented objectively. The naval point of view is given by F. E. McMurtric and the Air's case by Lieut.-Comman- der Young, R.N., until recently an Observer of the R.N. Air Arm.

Lt.-Cdr. YOUNG. R. N.;

ships was capable of making any security plans of the nation and It is a hard and dangerous road effective reply to air onslaughts. Suggestions are sometimes the Empire as are deemed es-which statesmen of Eure tread made that warships are vulner- sential in the light of failure to to-day who would find a formula for able to bombs dropped in the.

the preservation of peace and water close alongside. Actual- achieve any real measure of equality of security. In the any, the damage that can be done world disarmament, The selec- nouncement from Paris that M. by such methods is negligible. tion of Sir Thomas Inskip for Pierre Flandin, the Foreign Minis Before ships can be bombed the post has caused some little ter. had declared he would not they must be found. With good, AR bombs are effective wea surprise, but in support of the return to London to negotiate upon visibility and a floating base in choice it is pointed out that he Dassis of German counter the shape of an aircrafi, carrier, merchantmen

AIR

with the largest force of air- craft available should be deci- sive.

It has been suggested that shells falling from a height of several miles will strike a ship with greater velocity than will a bomb, dropped from only a 'few thousand feet. Both shell and bomb, however, will reach pons against ships, whether a terminal velocity, dependent war vessels. only on their weights and and this maximum

of

possesses a strong judicial mind proposals to the Locarno Powers live aircraft are the minimum Though admittedly not weapons shapes,

Can bo velocity will be reached if they

at

marching

ever.

near

WATCHES HAVE "TEMPERAMENT”

or

planned security on an unpre-national pacts. It would appear), Attack on merchant vessels lure within range of any gun. WE all udmit the "character" of

and is thus likely to hold a fair programme of reconciliation, there required to search an area 100 of precision, bombs balance between the claims of is another large obstacle in the miles square. This figure must dropped in suflicient numbers to fall from much lower heights

be increased out of all propor- overcome the disadvantage of than those discussed. the three, fighting services. way to lasting peace. At the time tion if a really large area has to the small percentage of hits. It With regard to air attack on is the total number of hits that merchant ships, this could be Whatever critics of the Govern-of writing, the news of the French be covered.

Even under favourable con- is important.

carried out effectively ment's plans may say, there is Government's alleged contradiction

of the British attitude, that the ditions, with trained observers, In good weather the number focal points, which are always no questioning the point that the Locarno Powers were open to com- it is by no means easy to locate of aircraft required to locate the near land, and through which country as a whole is fully alive

promise, has only just been re-la fleet. Shore-based aircraft enemy fleet will be relatively a large number of important to the necessity of keeping ceived. But we doubt this is the cannot extend a search for more small, if the enemy are operat- convoys must necessarily, pass, Although aircraft cannot British defences up to a stan- whole story.

Surely, although than 300 to 400 miles out to sea. ing in the "Narrow Seas," as in

It should be added that search most cases they must.

carry out "visit and search, dard ensuring full security. It some of the Locarno Powers' terms

A fleet is of very little use they could be used in a bipyk is obvious that a policy of de-may be vital, from the French can only be carried on in, day- fenceless idealism can no longer point of view, and cannot be re-light and when visibility is good, away from the area in which ade to attack enemy warships, If visibility is reduced to that it is needed strategically. In thus leaving the area clear "for be practised: The Government'sjected--by Germany, that attitudel normally existing in the North deed; history shows that no im-friendly-surface forces... scheme, as outlined in the White cannot apply to all. Surely some Sea-say five miles at least portant naval battle has

A great deal is invariably Paper, puts forward on elabor-arrangement may be found which double the number of aircraft laken place more than 500 made of the ability of a fleet to war time miles from land,, which is well shoot down attacking aircraft ate lines a system of co-ordina-will preclude the sending of foreign will be needed. In

to there is no doubt ships would within the range of modern air with anti-aircraft guns, pom- tion and expansion of the three troops into German territory

poms and the fleet's own fight- police areas which ivere de contrive to avoid observation craft.

the services. It is, however, not a militarised by treaty. Such a con- from the air by moving under It may be objected that air- ing aircraft. Although cut-and-dried plan, but is pur-dition to negotiation is hard to cover of darkness.

craft may be unable to operate attackers would no doubt suffer posely flexible, so that adjust-wallow, even though, from the Battleships are designed to by reason of bad weather, but considerable casualties in day- ments can be made according to point of view of the other Locarno resist the impact of heavy shells, one may expect fine weather light, the method of night the 'necessities of the situation. and Versailles signatories, Ger- which strike their targets with sufficiently early in the course attack outlined above would than bombs of a war for the enemy fleet to render them practically immune. In these matters, a democratic many created the present crisis by higher velocity

devastating, sufficiently State is

distinct dis- unilaterally denouncing that part dropped from a few thousand be located and attacked in time Should the first attack not prove advantage compared with the and

into the Rhine feet, to say nothing of their to achieve a decisive result,

Many of the disadvantages of should there be other enemy It is ridiculous for greater accuracy of aim.

be forces at sea, the same aircraft dictatorships, but Ministers and country.

It has been proved by experi. uir attack on ships could people alike are fully conscious France to take the stand that Ger- ment that bombs, if they are overcome by a night operation, would be available for further of the point that our traditional many is incapable of contributing required to inflict damage on An enemy fleet could be located operations.

to the cause of peace except by armoured ships, must have walls by daylight and shadowed until inclination to "muddle through" surrender, just as it is ridiculous as thick as those of shells manu- dusk, its position and move- would, under present conditions, for Germany to consider herself factured for the same purpose, ments being reported, while be little short of suicidal. It is within her rights in constantly de- with, a consequent reduction of the reporting, aircraft would never find it necessary to ven- clear that Britain' must have nouncing or secretly breaking inter the explosive charge.

animals, and are inclined to They would operate singly, lament this mechanistic age as one in cedented seale, embracing all that these two nations, if they wish by aircraft cannot be carried out

from several different may tend to become obsolete. aspects of national life that, in to retain the stabilising influence at any great distance from land, observing the movements of the which character and temperament watches have temperament. Thla is the unhappy event of war, would, of Great Britain in the affairs of Under war conditions merchant-lleet

ledge that the location of not as fantastic it sounds-ask any have to bear their share in the Europe, had best adopt less drastic men would naturally keep well directions, secure in the know-- But need we dread this?

methods. For with Germany flout-away from enemy coasts.

Although it has been claimed single machine, either from the watchmaker. To be sure, he may not burden. The organisation of industry, for example, is no lessing treaties on the one hand and that bomb hits, if reckoned on a surface or from other aircraft, use that word, but the meaning will France threatening reprisals in the percentage basis, are quite as is a matter of extreme diffi-be the same. And we do not need to Docs your wrist watch keep time essential in modern warfare form of unilateral sanctions on the frequent as shell hits; this culty. There shadowers would go to n aneclailst to find proof of it. than the efficient strength of the other, the work of the best ignores the fact that the rate of be relieved by fresh ones from equally well on either wrist? Mine doen not. It gains a minato a day fighting forces. And the safety intentioned mediator is going to be hitting is infinitely greater with time to time.

At dusk the attacking force on my right wrist, and never varies and morale of the civil popula-unavailing, and ultimately the men gunfire than with bombing, tion have also, as far as possible, who seek

It goes even faster. Something to a quarrel, rather than Aircraft themselves are ex- of aircraft would take off from on my left. If I leave it lying flat to be adequately safeguarded. accord, are going to stumble sud-tremely vulnerable to shell hits, their shore base, being kept in- do with my pulse, not the watch?. those who witnessed the formed of the enemy's position Nonsense, it is temperament, I tell There are critics who argue that denly upon it.

attack on the fleet in the Chan- by the shadowers. At the time you.

And the wrist watch is the most the anti-gas devices, for ex-

nel last year by a "Queen Bee" of their expected arrival, the temperamental. There is no doubt of acroplane shadowers would drop flares to that. Otherwise, why does a wrist ample, create in the population

will agree. She was soon shot ensure that the attackere located watch go perfectly for one person, a false sense of security. But can be turned to good account. wireless-controlled surely it cannot be contended But no nation can afford to down, though only three four- the fleet, and would illuminate keep bad time for another, and stop far a third? Yet watches do; that is certain. that the Government and local neglect the obvious duty of self-inch guns in a single ship were it during the attack.

Such an attack, with either The weather effects them, too. I authorities should do nothing defence. And it is one of the firing at her. Similar results

are reported to have been obtain- bombs or torpedoes, would be had a wrist watch which became post- against the contingency of air merits of the British defence ed this month in a series of tests most effective, the ships being tively feverish in summor, yot kept silhouetted against the back-good time in winter. And the other raids that might be a decisive scheme that it can be adjusted to in the Eastern Mediterranean.

To deal with air attack at ground of flares without being day my clock stopped. The watch- maker said, "Perhaps it is the cold factor in a war of any magni- the necessities of the case.

To be sure," he added solidifies the But tude: The British people, in Britain's plans in no sense imply close quarters the British Navy able to see the attackers. The meter

oil. in the shape of the multiple able to approach sufficiently was temperament

Wo need not dread the monotony tions, will fervently hope that no They are intended solely to pro-pom-pom, whose numerous bar- close to ensure a much higher of a mechanised age if character r now, war will arise in their vide a real assurance of security rels can spray out missiles at percentage of hits, than they mains with cog-wheels and personality generation; certainly, the pre-in the face of possible danger a rate so rapid that it has to be could possibly expect in the with pendulums.

daytime. A night attack made seen to be believed, sent situation, if wisely handled, from any quarter.

as

Even our

common with those of other na-aggression; quite the reverse, possesses a formidable weapon latter would consequently be hastily, it not be really meant

M. F. MILL

it