The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1915-06-09
SUBMARINE BASE
Off IRISH COAST?
Speculation as to How Raid
erS Get Supply Of OIL
NAVAL MEN DOUBT THEORY

oupneFgeu ianks In tntGES Goutd Fur-
nish Gasoline to Undersea Craft.
However, Torpedoes Must &c Replen-
ished and Crews Must Have Rest OF
the Boats.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. us To the
Germans having established secret sub
marine bases in isolated coyes along
the Irish coast was revived In semi
official circles in Washington by the
publication Of a dispatch from Crook
haven, Ireland, which told OF a subma-
rine having been sighted and fired
upon near that place.
For some time there has been a
strong belief here that there have been
secret submarine bases of this Charac-
ter somewhere along the western or
southwestern coasts OF Ireland. lit was
definitely ascertained, however, that uo
information had been received by the
navy department from its intelligence
sources abroad confirming the discov-
cry of any of the supposed secret bases
IL there are any such bases the ID
dentations in the shores of ireland
may have been conveniently utilized
by the Germans for that purpose.
In the absence, however, Of definite
know ledge that such "A base has been
established, well informed naval Off
GERS cast doubt on this explanation OF
the facility with which German sub
marines have been able to operate in
the stretch OF water between Fastnet
rock, the first lighthouse seen by trans
atlantic passengers bound for Queens
town and Liverpool, and Bishops rock,
where they catch their first glimpse
of a lighthouse when going to South
ampton.
Naval officers apparently are agreed
on n point-that none of the subma-
ships off the south and west coasts Of
Ireland have gone TO those sections of
the German naval war zone around the
British isles by way of the strait of
Dover or the English channel. The
British have so effectively protected
the approach to the English channel
by a mine field extending from Ostend
to the entrance to the Thames that no
German warship. floating OF subma-
rine, has yet been shown to have pass
ed that obstruction.
Naval officers here do not believe
that submarines could successfully
pass through this mine field. They
also point to the announcement recent
ly made in parliament that England
had been able successfully to trans
port about 100000 soldiers from Eng
land to France and Belgium across the
channel without the loss of n single
transport or the death of a single man
during the cross channel Journey. Ii
German submarines were able TO go
to the south coast of Ireland by the
channel route and there sink merchant
ships, 1t is pointed out, the same sub
marines could have sunk British troop
ships, which would be of greater mill
tary advantage to Germany than the
mere sinking of merchant ships. which
carry only noncombatants.
With the English channel approach
to the west and south coasts of Ire
land as well as to the Scilly isles
closed. the German submarines would
have to take the North sea and north
OF Scotland route to the western shores
of the British isles. Having once sen
submarines to the Irish coast. it was
said here, the Germans might obviate
the long journey around Scotland, to
and from Ireland and Germany, by es
tablishing secret bases on the Irish
coast, and the theory Is very strong
that this has been done.
The naval experts, however, believe
that the submarines have made the
journey back and forth around Scot
land. One high naval officer said that
the Germans were known TO have sub
marines with a steaming radius of
1900 or 5000 miles, which could easily
negotiate the long journey. 1t was
suggested to him that Ii there were Sc
cret bases on the Irish coast there
might be submerged tanks of gasoline
which the submarines could visit at
night. raising them TO replenish their
fuel supply and then sinking them
again, and that it was easy to imagine
that they have constructed large tanks
that could be towed under water.
This officer admitted that this was
possible. though he did not believe 1t
had been done. He said that the use
of such tanks was proposed some time
ago to this government, but he believ-
ed. in the light of a great deal Of in
formation that he had received, that
the German submarines were not fol
lowing the secret base practice. He
pointed out that 1t was necessary for
submarines to replenish their supplies
OF ~torpedoes, something that could not
be done from a secret base as easily as
replenishing gasoline stock. and that,
what was even more important, the
work OF the men who operated German
submarines was so exacting and the
strain upon them so terrific that 1t
would be necessary for the crews to
return to their German bases after
their raids to recuperate. This officer
also said that. while 1t was barely pos
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