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JANE’S FIGHTING SHIPS, 1933. Edited by Oscar Parkes. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Co. 42s.
Jane is such an institution today that it seems surprising to realize that it was founded as recently as 1897. The “blurb” on the paper cover describes it as “the acknowledged world authority and the only complete and authentic encyclopedia of all the navies of the world, containing over 3,000 photographs and other illustrations.” Probably this is no exaggeration. Jane has had a number of rivals in the past thirty-seven years, but today it is clearly superior to Les Flottes de Combat and to the naval sections of Brassey, although Brassey is older and approaches the general subject in a different manner. The late Fred T. Jane was succeeded by the present editor in 1918, and Dr. Parkes not only edits the annual and carries on his practice as a London physician, but finds time to prepare a number of the drawings of newly designed and uncompleted ships which are found in the recent volumes.
In the “foreword” the publishers say,
In the U.S.A. a well-balanced naval program has been put in hand—somewhat belatedly—to make good a deficiency in cruisers and replace worn-out destroyers, with the result that half a hundred different trades outside the shipbuilding yards are again busy. . . . Our cruiser programs for the past few years have been limited in numbers, size and armament by the one-sided concessions made by our representatives at the London Naval Conference, with the result that our constructors have been faced with the very disagreeable necessity of providing us with ships definitely inferior to their "opposite numbers" abroad.
This is another illustration of the fact that no person outside the United States has ever given the United States any credit whatsoever for her action in scrapping new ships at the Washington conference.
A new feature in this edition is the summary of naval forces inserted in the sections devoted to the principal navies. This summary shows ships building, ships underage, and ships overage. The American ships ordered under the 1933 program are also listed.
The editor has followed the practice of recent years in increasing the number of photographs of types of particular interest, and the aircraft carriers of all navies are illustrated with numerous pictures. Ships which have undergone alterations have been pictured in their new appearance. The illustrations include a contrast in present-day bridge structures of the various navies.
The publishers' foreword displays particular interest in the design of the new Japanese cruisers, destroyers, and aircraft carriers and mentions that the secrecy surrounding all Japanese construction prevents the giving of details of their armament and other characteristics. The newer pictures of Japanese vessels of all classes indicate that their alterations in recent years have given them profiles which distinguish them from similar vessels of all other navies.
After having spent many, many hours during the past twenty years in pouring over the pages of Jane this reviewer found several features of new and striking interest in this latest volume, or perhaps it would be more accurate to say that several things in it impressed him with new and particular significance. One point was the number and quality of the sloops now in commission and under construction for the British Navy. This type of ship was developed by the British during the late war and was designed especially for convoy duty. Having proved their worth in war the British have continued to build sloops and today they are in fact small, slow cruisers, but economical in operation, comfortable for their crews, and particularly well adapted for the miscellaneous duties of commerce protection, although of course they would be useless against cruisers or larger vessels of war. They are also adapted to mine sweeping and other special duties. The newest class is represented by the Grimsby launched during 1933 at Devonport Dockyard. She is of 1,060 tons; 266 feet over all; 34 feet beam; 8.7 feet draft; 2,000 s.hp.; 16 knots; 275 tons of oil; two 4.7-inch guns, one 3-inch antiaircraft and 12 smaller guns. The British now have 9 sloops building and 33 others underage. During the war the French likewise built ships of this type and called them avisos, several of which operated with our destroyers on the French coast with occasional coastal convoys. France also has continued this type and has 51 sloops, including 8 new ones which are even more formidable than the latest Britishtype. Japan, Italy, and the United States have no comparable vessels but several of the minor navies have adopted the type and built sloops in the last few years. Another point of interest was the British fleet auxiliary oilers. Sixty of these vessels are listed by name, by classes, and their characteristics are given.
AMERICA SWINGS TO THE LEFT. By Alva Lee. New York: Dodd, Mead & Co. Inc., 1933. $1.50.
This is a very able presentation of the conservative standpoint on our current economic problems, written with a grasp of principles that no one is likely to question, even though he may dispute conclusions, and with a directness of style and abundance of simple illustrations which make it clear and even enjoyable reading. Colonel Lee believes in sound money, a balanced budget, low tariffs, a minimum of governmental interference and artificial stimulation in both agriculture and industry, and individualism as opposed to the present governmental trend toward socialistic and paternalistic experiment.
He gives an understandable explanation of how we got the way we are—artificial price boosting by higher and ever higher tariffs; next the abnormal demands created by the war; then, instead of gradual deflation, immense loans abroad to keep up prices and purchase of our commodities. When at last we made a call for payment on these loans, “the joy ride suddenly terminated.” Subsequent efforts to resist deflation—such as agreements to keep up wages, the moratorium, the billion dollar bonus, the R.F.C.—were a failure; and the author prophesies a similar result from most of the special remedies adopted today.
He repeats the now familiar question how we can expect foreign countries to buy our goods and pay their debts to us if by exclusive tariffs we preserve for ourselves a favorable balance of trade year after year, and he frankly advocates not only reciprocity agreements with American countries but a general cut in tariffs which would permit a billion dollar excess of imports over exports, sufficient to enable foreign governments to make small interest and amortization payments on their American debts. As to whether such payments would be made, even under more favorable conditions, the author is not too optimistic, but he asks another pertinent question— where do France and other European nations expect to get financial aid in their next war, having already ruined their credit at home by confiscatory depreciation of currency, and also destroyed their credit abroad.
These are merely suggestions of the pungent and boldly critical contents of America Turns to the Left. The author is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, class of 1908, who afterward entered the Army and was retired as lieutenant colonel for disability in line of service. Even though his military background may have afforded no special training, it has quite evidently proved no obstacle to his development of marked proficiency in another field. The editor of the Annalist calls his book “the best on current economic and political problems that has yet been published.”
AMERICA SELF-CONTAINED. By Samuel Crowther. Doubleday, Doran & Co. Inc., 1933. $2.00.
In complete opposition to the low tariff and foreign trade ideas of Mr. Alva Lee’s book, reviewed just above, Mr. Samuel Crowther’s America Self-Contained is an enthusiastic argument for economic self-sufficiency. Not merely high but virtually prohibitive tariffs on manufactured goods, absolute exclusion of all foreign goods that we can possibly duplicate at home, and prohibition also on the export of our own raw materials—this is Mr. Crowther's thesis.
Undoubtedly economic nationalism the order of the day. Two arguments in its favor are that it will make a country stronger in war, and also keep a country out of the international trade rivalries that lead to war. For the United States, moreover, with its wide area, varied climate, and small present dependence on export trade (about 6 or 8 per cent of the national income), it is a feasible policy, and possibly advisable in present conditions of world politics. But for smaller nations—for instance Cuba, the Central American States, Brazil, and insular nations like England—it will be quite another matter. The international trade that has grown to immense proportions within the past hundred years, especially with improvements in transportation, is not likely to pass away, unless the world reverts toward barbarism; and American producers will continue to seek their share in this trade.
SKAGERRAK. (Published in German.) By Frederick von Kuhlwetter. Berlin Ullstein.
Reviewed By Lieutenant G. B. Myers, U. S. Navy
Lieutenant Curtiss W. Schantz (D.C.), U. S. Navy, has made a manuscript translation into English of this book, the material for which was originally compiled by Rear Admiral Frederick von Kuhlwetter After the death of Admiral von Kuhlwetter in 1931, Lieutenant H. O. Philipp, I. G. N. (Retired), rewrote the manuscript and published it this year. A foreword by Admiral Magnus von Levetzow, who commanded S.M.S. Moltke and later was operations officer on Admiral Scheer's staff, points to this book as a record of heroic achievement published to revive and inspire German interest and devotion to matters of the sea.
The author presents an interesting and intimate picture of the routine daily life of officers and men during war operations of ships of the German Navy. The German side of the contacts in the battle of Jutland is given, though perhaps not as well as von Hase has done. While some of these chapters are written in a style to appeal to the general reader, bits of information regarding damage control, watch standing, gas masks, etc., may be gleaned from the narrative.
About one-fifth of the volume is devoted to the story of Petty Officer Zenne, sole survivor of the crew of 589 of S.M.S. Wiesbaden. This fireman tells his tale in such a natural, genuine style that it is by far the most valuable part of the book.
Over two dozen sketches and photographs are used, a dozen of the latter probably hitherto unpublished. Diagrams of tile battle and statistical tables are rather elementary and do not compare with the excellent material found in Der Krieg sur See; Vol. V, by Otto Groos. A copy of the 4ing official report by Admiral Scheer to tile Kaiser, dated July, 4, 1916, on the Battle of Jutland is appended.
THE STORY OF AIRCRAFT. By Chelsea Fraser. New York: Thomas Y. Crowell Company. 1933. $2.50.
Reviewed by Lieutenant G. C. Weldin, U. S. Navy
Officers not "air-minded" may find preparation for their examination in the subject of aviation rather tedious and uninteresting. The most effective and painless remedy known to date to place the mind in a proper state before buckling down to the subject is to commence reading The Story of Aircraft. This prescription will place the student in such a receptive frame of mind that he will, with interest fully aroused, eagerly proceed with his studies in order that he may make full use of the excellent background he has so pleasantly acquired. He will have gone far to place himself in a position to prove to his examiners that he is “keeping abreast of the times and the development of this subject” (to quote from the requirements as outlined in General Order No. 231).
From the misty beginnings of mythology and history to September of this year 1933, the author unfolds the story of man’s age-long craving to fly, his early gropings to solve the mysteries of flight, and the progress he has thus far made toward fulfillment of his dreams and aspirations. From wing-flapping Icarus to Captain White’s Ornithopter, from the first uncontrollable balloon of the Montgolfers to the finely controlled Macon, from the first parachute drop of young Bill Sadler’s kitten to the jump of the newest member of the Caterpillar Club, from the glider flight of few-minutes duration made by Cayley’s coachman to Kurt Schmidt’s record of 36 hours and 37 minutes, from Orville Wright’s first airplane flight of 120 feet to Rossi and Codos’ nonstop 5,575 miles—the whole story is vividly presented.
All Americans will be interested to learn that from the earliest days of the United States—and these were the earliest days of anything resembling practical aviation (the first Montgolfer balloon was made in 1783) Americans have been intimately connected with flight. Benjamin Franklin observed the first ascent of a hydrogen balloon in Paris on August 27, 1783. Dr. John Jeffries, the first American to ascend in a balloon (November 30, 1784), accompanied the Frenchman, Blanchard, on the first aerial crossing of the English Channel (January 7, 1785). Our first commander in chief, President Washington, witnessed the first balloon ascension in the United States, which, with Blanchard as the balloonist, took place in Philadelphia, January 9, 1793. Philadelphia was also the scene of the first ascent of an American in his own country, made by John Wise on May 2, 1835.
Of especial interest to naval officers is mention of the Atlantic flight of the NC ships; of Lieutenant Commander Zachary Lansdowne, U. S. Navy, of the Shenandoah and the history of the latter and of our other dirigibles; of Lieutenant Commander T. G. W. Settle, U. S. Navy (the “only man in the world holding a license to operate any kind of aircraft from airships to gliders”) and his attempted stratosphere flight.
A quotation from Cowper which reads in part,
Now we float—at random, indeed, pretty much, and as the winds drive us—but steerage may be expected. Will it, then, in its consequences, prove a mercy or a judgment? I think, a judgment,
makes us wonder if Cowper did not speak with the voice of prophecy (especially if we have read of the probable fate of cities and naval bases as detailed in the article by C. Rougeron, in the October, 1933, Proceedings). We know that many aviators would have us believe that the power of flight has already given the final judgment, at least as to battleships!
Space has been given in this work to the war-time activities of aircraft, to commercial aviation in all branches and in all countries, to air routes, to airports, to our Army aircraft, and also to our Navy aircraft and aircraft carriers.
The style of this book is such that we advisedly used the words to commence reading” in our introductory paragraph, for to commence, in this case, means to read from start to finish, even neglecting meals and slighting sleep. The language and treatment are not technical, on the other hand it is believed that the book could be understood, and would be considered very interesting reading, by the young son of the naval officer. Used in connection with a previous work of the author, The Model Aircraft Builder, it is believed no better work could be found to interest a boy in aviation. Five hundred pages might seem to indicate a ponderous tome, but the size is required to furnish space for print that is very easy on eyes strained by binoculars, gun sights, and sun glare—and as the vehicle for some 109 drawings by the author which interestingly and accurately depict in picture, as the manuscript does in words, from mythology to the Macon, The Story of Aircraft.
THE NAVY IN MY TIME. By Admiral Mark Kerr. London: Rich and Cowan, Ltd. 1933. 6s.
Admiral Kerr is so delightful a raconteur, and has had so long and varied a career, that one could almost wish he had given us a straight autobiography, rather than a book in which is mingled much statistical and other general information about the British Navy. But the autobiography may come later. Meantime the most interesting parts of the present volume are those which come closest to his own experience—the scenes of his cadet and midshipman days in the late seventies, his associations with Sir Percy Scott, Prince Henry of Battenberg, and Lord Fisher, and finally his World War service, first on special duty in charge of the Greek Navy at the outbreak of the war, then in command of the British fleet in the Adriatic from the spring of 1916 to the autumn of 1917, and in command of the S.W. Air Force Area in 1918.
The author had been naval attaché at Constantinople, and later while with the Greek Navy had worked out with his stag a detailed plan for a Greek attack on the Dardanelles. To his surprise, however, he was not consulted when the British attack was put under way. It is interesting to note that the Greek plan called for from 142,000 to 162,000 troops, and stipulated that no warships should appear off the Dardanelles unless they had the expeditionary force ready to land.
It is evident from The Navy in My Time that its author has a fertile mind, and has always occupied himself with strategic and other problems not quite in the ordinary day's work. He was an early believer in long-range actions, and in 1909 criticized the weak deck protection of the battle cruisers against high-angle fire, a defect which accounted for the loss of three of them at Jutland. He had a plan in 1912 which in a war with Germany took all the British capital ships out of the North Sea and left it to the flotillas. And in 1914, after Coronel, he wrote from Athens correctly presaging von Spee's movements and advising the dispatch of two battle cruisers to the Falklands. No doubt, however, other minds were working in similar channels.
In addition to this more personal material, there are chapters on gunnery, games, submarines, and Q-ships, the Air Service, and "the future." In the latter, the Admiral sees the decline of the big battleship and the increased importance of aircraft, and also advocates the closer co-ordination of the Admiralty, War Office, and Air Ministry, as separate bodies under one minister of defense.
THE CUTTY SARK, THE LAST OF THE FAMOUS TEA CLIPPERS. By br. C. N. Longridge. London: Percival Marshall & Co. Ltd. 2 vols.1933. 7s.6d. each.
Reviewed By Lieutenant Alan R. McCracken, U. S. Navy
With the exception of Lord Nelson's flagship at Trafalgar, the Victory, it is said that there is no ship whose name is better known to Britons than the Cutty Sark. As the last of the tea clippers her history is familiar to those of every nation who regret the passing of the days of sail. In retrospect, perhaps the romance of those days has been exaggerated, yet it is refreshing to consider the shipbuilding triumphs of seafaring gentlemen to whom the winning of the annual tea race from China was an equal admixture of sportsmanship and close-fisted business.
The two volumes by Dr. Longridge represent a successful effort to enable the ship-model builder to duplicate the accurate scale-model Cutty Sark which the author himself built. The authenticity of the plans is guaranteed by the fact that Dr. Longridge, sketch pad in hand, made numerous visits aboard the Cutty Sark which is the only one of the famous tea clippers still in existence.
The volumes, each of approximately 200 pages, are complementary. Volume I deals with the construction of the model hull, bulwarks, and deck fittings. Volume II continues with the masts, spars, and rigging. The illustrations total 165, and include many photographs of the Cutty Sark herself, as well as of her miniature prototype, constructed by the author. Large working drawings are contained in a folder at the back of each book. The length of the model hull may be from 20" to 36" between perpendiculars, depending upon which one of the suggested scales is applied to the drawings. Each step in the work is carefully explained.
Although building this model of the Cutty Sark will be no exception to the rule that ship-model construction requires patience, the prospective builder’s path has been smoothed considerably by clear-cut drawings and painstaking description of every detail.
The original model, by Dr. Longridge, is now exhibited at the Science Museum at South Kensington.