Navy Blues 'And why do I emphasise the importance of
• the Royal Navy?,' asked Mr. Wilson, with rhetorical emphasis, at an open-air meeting during the last general election campaign. 'Be- cause you're in Chatham.' came the reply from the back of the crowd. Mr. Wilson is no longer in Chatham, and the navy, it appears, is no longer so important. As a former naval person (National Service, Retired) I'm in principle sorry that the admirals seem to have lost their battle with the air marshals. But to argue—as some have done --that the end of its last capital ship will mean the end of the navy and the collapse of naval morale is sheer rubbish. There is nothing worse to serve in. than an aircraft carrier: it may be a floating air base above deck but it's a floating barracks below. Every sailor—and every naval officer—worth his salt would rather serve in something else, and the smaller the ship the better he likes it. There is a real and important role for the navy of the future—but it is largely under the water rather than above it: nuclear rocket-launching and hunter-killer submarines, with a few fast anti-submarine surface ships as well. Life in a sub can be bad enough. But at least it's better than a carrier. There will be no tears from me.
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