Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 189, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 August 1914 — WARSHIPS ARE NOT USELESS [ARTICLE]

WARSHIPS ARE NOT USELESS

High Officer of French Navy Doesn’t Agree. That Submarines Have Rendered Vessels Useless. Paris. —The Petit Parlslen has asked a high officer of the French navy his opinion of the statements of Admiral Sir Percy Scott to the effect that submarines have'rendered useless ships that float on the surface and have not the faculty of submersion. After paying a high tribute to the British admiral and saying that 'Sir Percy’s opinion had to be taken into consideration, the officer declared that for the moment and for the immediate future he could not share Sir Percy’s views. The submarines at present in use had, he said, insufficient speed as compared with that of battleships. It would be impossible for submersibles to join big ships in the open sea. He admitted that the task of submarines would be easier in confined waters like the English channel, but their, role would be, an unprofitable one in the ocean or the Mediterranean. Moreover, there was as yet no means of communicating with the submarines when they were under water, nor could messages be received from them. The officer said: “We must try to Increase the epeed of submersibles,, but we must take care not to'regard our battleships as valueless On the contrary, we should go ahead with the construction-of large units.”