We need not think, however, that a fleet must always fight. If it were strong enough, the enemy would not risk a battle, but would take refuge in his harbours. It would be the duty of a British fleet to watch these harbours closely in order to attack the enemy at once if he came out. Our commerce could then proceed peacefully, because the enemy would have no ships in position to attack it. So you see that a strong Navy makes for peace, whereas a weak Navy challenges to battle.
Before we leave this picture of a submarine let us note alongside the old sailing battleship, Nelson’s “Victory.” You see the three white stripes along her sides, each pierced by many portholes. In the time of Nelson there was a gun in each porthole, so that the old battleship sailed upon the wind and fought with many small guns.
7.
Collier shipping Coal at Cardiff.
Nowadays a fleet moves by steam and consumes much coal. The best coal for fighting purposes is that which gives little smoke, and thus does not reveal a fleet to the enemy or obscure tactical signalling. Nearly all the smokeless coal of the world is got from South Wales in the British Islands. Here is a steam collier shipping such coal at the port of Cardiff. This vessel carries about 2,300 tons of coal, and can be loaded in two hours. Each of the four tips which you see is capable of shipping a 10-ton waggon every minute, so that the ship receives 40 tons a minute. One of our great fleets, such as the Mediterranean Fleet consumes about a shipload of coal every day. Thus you realise of what significance would be coaling stations of the Indian Ocean should it ever again be necessary to send a battle-fleet into our waters.
8.
Quarter-deck of H.M.S. “Majestic” showing 12-inch guns.
9.
Six-gun in action.
10.
The same.
11.
Gun in action (Marines.)
12.
Hoisting projectiles.
Now let us go quickly through a few typical scenes on a man-of-war and let us learn something of the life of the sailors who navigate and fight her. This is the quarter-deck of His Majesty’s Ship, “Majestic.” The two guns which you see have a bore 12 inches in diameter. Here is a 6-inch quick firing gun with her crew in battle position. Do you see the men to the left who are hoisting the ammunition from the depths of the ship? Here is a nearer view of the same gun. And here yet another with the gun’s crew, this time not of bluejackets, but of marines. Every large man-of-war carries a certain number of men trained to act as soldiers who are called marines. These help to fight her guns and are sent ashore should it be necessary to land a force to deal with some local difficulty. Here we have yet another scene on deck where seamen, or bluejackets as they are called, are hoisting ammunition from the magazine.