The following is a translated summary of a Dutch book from around 1937.
The author noted that the defence is a task of everyone. And that in the past naval officers debated in the open. This didn’t convince anyone, but gave detractors fuel for their arguments. Fortunately this practice has almost ended. But sadly those that don’t let themselves be heard get suppressed. That’s why we want a fleetplan from the navy. But the navy doesn’t come with one. Why?
The navy has since 1813 needed to ask, not demand - answering to a minister of the navy that as chief of personnel never been further than a desk. They only ask for what 100% would be supplied. At all but one point in the many years has the position been taken by someone outside of the navy. At the moment, when we expect extensive propaganda, we see very little. Only in a “Onze Vloot” do we see that with due haste we need to expand our baseline, lest we no longer need to worry about the colonial budget. Yet, with the threat so great, where is the fleetplan?
It is often thought that only expanding the army can suffice for defence plans. An understandable sentiment when looking at our eastern neighbours. One thinks of acquiring a few artillery pieces, but then forget that thousands and thousands of items that need to be supplied overseas.
A country needs to supply its resources. All the more in wartime. Even the US, with all its vast resources, noted 21 types of resources which they absolutely need for warfare. Without a naval force, Jhr Schorer notes, we get immediately choked. Two things are certain. We won’t start looking for fights. And it’s inconceivable the whole world turns on us. Possibly, nobody comes to our aid. But even in the worst case not everyone will be enemies. And we need to prepare for such eventually. To escort our convoys, we need 5 cruisers of around 15.000 tons with a cadre of smaller material.
The East Indies consist of densely populated areas but also sparsely populated areas, which without supply lines are incapable of stationing a modern army. Only territorial defence is possible in some of these regions. The best defence has always been the offence. It is unthinkable to let the enemy unleash its horrors upon our own territory. For this a mobile fulcrum is needed to support aggressive actions. Hence why 5 battleships are needed. 5 because there will always be one in maintenance and four makes a squadron.
Without any battleships, the enemy can rest easy in their attack knowing we have none. But with a battleship, we can with a single hit incur such damage that is fatal for an enemy far from home. Peculiarly, battleships are the cheapest. Airplanes have a life expectancy of hours, battleships of years.
Furthermore, only the battleship can effectively fight other battleships. To destroy one battleship, the enemy has to send two. To destroy the squadron of Spee at the start of the war the allies had to send no less than 30 ships, a 6 fold force majeur. Fortunately, the Dutch shipbuilding industry is sufficiently equipped to lay down 3 battleships at the time
The empire of the Netherlands is a giant ABC-triangle. Amsterdam, Batavia, Curaçao. The communication between those needs to be maintained. To this end in peacetime there needs to be a force that can protect the waters of west indies and convoy the connection lines to the rest. Currently the west is unprotected as an apple ripe for the taking. Considering they participate in spending on our defence is it not fair for them to be protected as well? There needs to be a permanent squadron of 4 cruisers of 10.000 tons. Of course with 1 reserve ship and cadring of ten destroyers and primarily submarines and airplanes.
The primary task is protection of the west indies against foreign attacks and secondarily it must protect the merchant traffic between the Netherlands and Netherlands-Indies through the Cape of Good Hope, Cape Horn and Panama Channel. One has to remember a large portion of resources has to come from the Americas, such as Manganese ore.
Summarising:
5 battleships (4 + 1 reserve)
5 cruisers 15.000 tons (4 + 1 reserve)
15 cruisers 10.000 tons or less (12 + 3 reserve)
40 destroyers (32 + 8 reserve)
40 submarines (32 + 8 reserve)
And the needed small material, minelayers, minesweepers, repair ships, motor torpedo boats and no aircraft carriers.
Accounted for every battleship are 2 covering cruisers and 4 destroyers. Everyone knows this is too little, so we’re not trying to be a big naval power. For each heavy cruiser there are 2 destroyers per ship. Furthermore, 40 submarines, the weapon of the weak, are sufficient. To those that wonder why not go for an entirely submarine based fleet, if the submarines are the weapon of the weak? To those I have to explain that no one weapon is a panacea to everything. Secondly, only the battleship has a preventive function.
For the main base in the Netherlands, Den Helder is the prime candidate due to its position and history. The only detriment is communication with the hinterlands, which can be remedied with a good road network. For the East Indies, neither Tandjong Priok nor Soerabaja pose a great location. An ideal base would be difficult, but possible. For the West Indies, no matter how well fortified the islands are made, they can be surrounded and thanks to their size then form a detriment. The best option is a base in Suriname.
S., Nederland=Zeemogenheid, ca. 1937
