Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1915-10-07
SUBMARINE PERIL
HAS BEEN SOLVED
orma Reaching American
Navy Circles Shows Brit
ain Has Beaten Ger
man U-Boat Game.

American naval policy for the coming;
year, tentative plans for which recog-
ntzed the submarine development OF
european submarine warfare and make
provision FOR a large number OF under-
sea boats, viii be broadly affected by
the British admiralty's development Of
successful means for CONFLICTING the
submarine peril.
Confidential reports to the United
states government disclosing that the
destruction from SO to 20 submarines
had been effected by the use of nets.
submarine telephones, now types OF
mines and by covering the submarine
area with a fleet of thousands of high
speed motorboats armed with rapid
fire guns have fulfilled the convictions
OF American naval experts that means
would be found to successfully combat
ports have reaftirmed the faith Of
American experts in the all-hig gun
shlp-the dreadnaught-as the effcc-
tive fighting force Of any navy.
Will Apply Lesson.
n immediate development of this
newest lesson drawn from the Euro
pean war probably will be provision
in the new naval Dill for continued adj
ditions to the d~readnaught fleet instead
of building submarines on such an ex-
tensiVe scale as has Deer desired by
many.
1t is plain, however, that the develop
ment OF successful means of repelling
ubmarine warfare will not mean the
Abandonment of substantial additions
to American submarine fleet. The
new naval building program probably
Will include more thar the usual num-
Der Of submarines and they will all be
of the high speed. seagoing cruiser
type, carrying rapid fire guns recently
developed in the naval gun factory,
but the official plan will not contem-
plate development of the submarine
arm Of the service at the expense of
the big gun ships.
New methods Of offense and defense
that may revolutionize naval warfare
have been adopted. and high British
naval officers are of the opinion that
unless the effectiveness of the subma-
rine is increased it will no longer on
stitute the menac that it has to COM
merce and battle fleets.
The British censorship has prevented
the disclosure of details concerning the
developments, but within the last three
weelts confidential reports to various
government departments from repre-
~sentatives in European capitals of neu-
trail as well as belligerent countries,
have confirmed the British admiralty's
view that an effective means of dealing
with the submarine has been found.
These reports are being closely scru-
tinized on account Of the bearing they
may have upon the naval policy Of the
United States. They reaffirm officers
OF the navy in their conviction that the
dreadnought still is the mainstay in
warfare on sea and tend to dissipate
the profound impression by the spec
tacular and for a long time apparently
unsupported operations Of the German
U-boats around the British isles.
Celebrate Achievement.
"A dinner was given recently in Lon-
don, which while not a formal state af-
fair, was attended by high government
officials, in celebration of the destruc-
ton Of the 50th under water enemy.
Reports of the dinner apparently were
suppressed by the censor in accord
ance with Great Britain's policy Of
keeping Germany in doubt as to how
many of the boats have been destroyed.
Although greatest secrecy is thrown
around the means employed, the United
States government has information
concerning the principle methods which
have been successful in meeting the
German war zone campaign. A sub
marine telephone has been developed
by which it is possible to detect the
sound Of approaching submarine from
observation boats or stations planted
off shore and connected with points in
~ Co. ASA AS ~SFS
craft whose presence has not been de-
tected or even suspected, the govern
ment's representatives describe how
huge nets have been stretched across
the. channels through which the sub
marines may be expected to attempt
to pass. In open waters, near steam
ship lanes or in the vicinity Of war
ships, nets suspended between floats
have been spread broadcast. Armed
patrol boats watch. and when The
floats disappear beneath the water,
showing that a submarine has become
entangled, the patrols congregate at
the place. When the victim comes to
the surface, as 1t inevitably must to
disentagle itself, it is destroyed by gun
fire or captured.
A special type Of mine has been
devised that has proved particularly
dangerous to submarines approaching
steamer lanes.
Discover Supply Bases.
The German methods Of supplying
submarines with oil and provisions
either at sea or from concealed places
all ainlg the coasts of the British isles
have n.s..., fcr,r.tcd out and practically
dispcn... of. This co;npels the boats to
return ~ their bases ut more frequent
Intervals md leaves them only a COM
parat.veiy short time in position or
equipped for effective duty.
SEIZE HORSE GOODS.
London, Oct. ~o.-Tseuter's Amster-
dam correspondent quotes a decree
plblished in the Official Gazette, of
erlin, reuuistioRing all blankets.
horse clothes and piece goods used or