The Twin City star. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1910-19??, 1915-06-12
SUBMARINE BASE
OFF IRISH COAST?
Speculation as to How Raid
ers Get Supply Of OIL
NAVAL MEN DOUBT THEORY

UseU NaoOuu0 " SHoOrUOA SgdISs
However, Torpsdoss Must es RspIsn.
Ishsd and crsws Must Have Rest on
the Boats. y.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. as to the
Germans having established secret sub
marine bases in isolated coves along
the Irish coast was revived In semi
oficial circles In Washington by the
publication Of a dispatch from Crook
haven, Ireland, which told Of q subma-
rne having been sighted and fred
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. It was
definitely ascertained, however, that no
information had been received by the
navy department from its intelligence
sources abroad confirming the discov-
cry Of any Of the supposed secret bases.
II there are any such bases the in
dentations in the shores of Ireland
may have been conveniently utilized
by the Germans for that purpose.
In the absence, however, Of definite
knowledge that such a base has been
established, well informed naval off,
csrs cast doubt on this explanation of
the facility with which German. sub.
marines have been able to operate In
tho 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 lighthouse when going to South
ampton.
Naval officers apparently are agreed
on one point-that none Of the subma-
rines that have attacked merchant
ships of 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 90 effectively protected
the approach to the English channel
by q mine field extending from Ostend
to the entrance to the Thames that no
German warship, floating or 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, 10000 soldiers from Eng
land to France and Belgium across the
channel without the loss Of a single
transport or the death Of q single man
during the cross channel journey. II
German submarines were able to 60
to the south coast Of Ireland by the
channel route and there sink merchant
ships. It 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 sent
submarines to the Irish coast. 1t 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 In 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 steaming radius Of
1000 or 5000 miles. which could easily
negotiate the long journey. II 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 1t was easy to imagine
that they have constructed large tanks
that could be towed under water. .r
This officer admitted that this was
possible, though he did not believe It
had been done. He said that the use
Of such tanks was proposed some time