An important subject of instruction at the Naval Observers' Schools is tactics. It is essential that an observer should possess an intelligent knowledge of how fleets are handled and what tactical positions they should adopt, or are likely to adopt, in order that he may report io his Commander-in-Chief exactly hat he sees and what he thinks is about to happen. The Fleet Air Arm is the youngest section of the Navy, and perhaps the least known. When operating with the fleet it has siderable share of the responsibility for the fleet's security. The initial air reconnaissance searches ihe area in the vicinity of the fleet, and then continues the sweep to look for more distant enemy ships. Subsequently air patrols are main. tained to ensure that no enemy enters the area swept by the initial search without being reported. In addition, anti-submarine air patrols are maintained round the fleet, while aboard the carriers aircraft, armed with bombs or torpedoes, are held ready at a moment's notice to attack any hostile ships reported by reconnaissance aircraft.
The Fleet Air Arm also does an immense amount of flying in connection with commerce protection and U-boat hunting on the trade routes. it is very difficult to detect from the air a submarine which is "air conscious," and it is also very difficult, having found the submarine, to destroy it with bombs. But the training in anti-submarine bombing given to Fleet Air Arm personnel should enable them to play their part successfully in combating attacks on British warships and merchant ships by enemy submarines. In fact, some U-boats have had good cause to regret the efficiency of the Fleet Air Arm in this direction.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.