Today's submarines in Australia may cost $30 billion each. But 100 years ago this week our nation's first two submarines were delivered from Britain to much rejoicing at their relative cheapness and the defence savings they would enable. Melbourne's Punch went into boyish rhapsodies over these new toys.
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"Capacity To Kill - One Thousand''
"The two Australian submarines that reached their home port on Sunday represent the last word in destructive mechanism. The strength of the submarine lies, of course, in its secrecy. It disappears.
"The one trace it gives of its presence is the devastating torpedo it loses when it gets within easy striking distance of its quarry.
"To be sure, the periscope is occasionally pushed two feet above water to get a hurried picture of the surroundings; but even if this be seen by the doomed men on the ships it creates apprehension rather than gives relief, for the queer little object is soon submerged again, and the enemy is left with the uncomfortable feeling that nothing can save it from destruction.
"A battleship is no match for a submarine - except in speed. It can run away. The suspicion that a submarine is about will be enough to send the biggest Dreadnought scurrying away to sea.
"A few more submarines dotted about the Australian coast add far more to Australia's security than would another million pounds added to the military bill.
"It is inconceivable, for instance, that Sydney could be bombarded from the ocean while the submarines were within 100 miles of Port Jackson. And a beauty of submarine defence is its great cheapness. The vessel costs about £100,000; but the crew is small, and the saving in fixed defences - forts and so forth - is considerable."
