396
verliezen kunnen toebrengen, doch het moet in twijfel worden getrokken, of
ze, voor dit doel gebruikt, gelijkwaardig kunnen worden gesteld met de groote
kruisers, welke voor een handelsoorlog een zeer geschikt wapen zijn".
In de verslagen der Marine-vereeniging vonden we vermeld, dat den
20en Januari 1926 de heer L. v. Vuuren in die vereeniging een lezing heeft
gehouden over
„De politieke beteekenis van straat Malakka, historisch beschouwd in het
licht van Singapore-Vlootbasis en onze Vlootwet".
Jammer genoeg werden over die lezing geen verdere bijzonderheden vermeld.
Bk.
11. OVERZICHT BUITENLANDSCHE TIJDSCHRIFTEN.
Coast artillery Journal. February 1926. Hieruit vermelden we een opstel
over „Effect of Aviation on fixed coast defences" van Major H. R. Oldfield.
Zijn conclusies dienaangaande zijn de volgende
That the development of aviation has increased the maximum range and
the efficiency of fire of fixed seacoast defenses. With the enemy in complete
control of the air, these powers are decreased materially and the defenders
can not operate bombardment aviation. Under such conditions, seacoast arma
ment continues to be the only dependable means, other than naval, for the
defense of important harbors against naval attack.
The limitations of fixed coast defenses are, in general, extended due to the
fact that shore guns have become the second line instead of the first line of
land troops in defense against naval attacks the bomber has become the
first line and due to the fact that the development of aviation has emphasized
the value of long-range mobile armament", een o. i juist beginsel, dat, waar
mogelijk, ook voor N. I. kustversterkingen in de toekomst zal moeten gelden.
In dit nummer verschijnt het „Annual report of the Chief of Staff" dat eenige
merkwaardige uitspraken bevat, waaronder:
„It is recognized by all countries of the world that strive to maintain armies
on" a modern basis that no type of garrison, school, or summer training camp
instruction can equal that afforded to officers and enlisted men, whether of
the Regular Army or the civilian forces, by extensive field manoeuvres. This
is evidenced by the many field exercises conducted by foreign armies during
the past year".
Over de in Amerika aanhangig zijnde proeven vonden we o.m.
„Two types of semi-automatic shoulder rifles of a weight comparable to
that of the present rifle have been developed. It is expected that either of
these semi-automatics will enormously increase the fire power of the rifleman.
■Either may very well prove to be capable of replacing the present automatic.
There is now under development, with every prospect of ultimate success,
a semi-automatic shoulder rifle which will have sufficient accuracy and stop
ping power up to 1000 yards and for which 33'/3 per cent more rounds of
ammunition, pound for pound, can be carried.
The American Army has never been furnisned with 105-inm howitzer
materiel. This piece is essentiel for mobile war. The Ordnance Department
has progressed far enough to be certain that this type of weapon, now under
development, will have a range of about 12,000 yards with a 33-pound
projectile.
In any great war the Corps Artillery must be depended upon for the greater
portion of the counter-battery work. This artillery is of both direct and indirect
importance to our Infantry and, therefore, to success. Without adequate coun-
ter-batterv gun and howitzer fire the enemy's Light guns are free to hammer
our Infantry, and without adequate counter-battery our own light guns are
helpless in supporting our Infantry. Although the World War reaffirmed the
importance of these types, beyond question the counter-battery types in use