The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1917-12-28
SUBS NOT GAINING
ON SHIP BUILDERS
BRITISH NAVAL EXPERT SAYS
LOSSES NO LONGER SHOW
NET GAIN.
SPEEDING UP CONSTRUCTION
ShipbuiIding Programs of Allies Are
Getting Into Full Sway and Work
of Navies Is Making Task of
Subs More Difficult.

New York, Dec. 20.-Arthur Pollen.
the British naval expert, who sailed
for Europe after spending six months
| in the United States, gave to the Asso-
| ciated Press statement in which he
said that the campaign of the allied
navies against the submarine has at
last resulted in keeping the worlds
ship tonnage from showing Il monthly
decrease. or soon will do so. Mr.. Pol
len gives credit for this success to
the change in the chief command car
ried out by the British admiralty last
spring and the participation of the
American navy.
Mr.. Pollen pointed out that six
months ago the German submarines
were causing net attrition in the
worlds tonnage at the rate of nearly
25 per cent annually. While the pres
ent rate of attrition is difficult to
estimate, it appeared that last month
Great Britain launched as much ton
mage as she lost: the first ship laid
down by the United States since the
war has been launched, and, within
the next II months, substantial por-
ton of the six million tons provided
for in this country will undoubtedly
be afloat Great Britain's ship-build-
ing program will similarly increase
month by month and moreover, the
campaign of the allied navies against
the submarine will grow in value week
by week, he said.
Marked Significance.
"The significance of this does not
have to be pointed out" Mr.. Pollen
continued st means that Germany's
attack on allied communications has
failed and that there is no reason why
the full military power of
Great Britain, France and Italy and
the United States should not be felt |
in the western theater of war. This |
is a tremendous result"
Speaking of the change in the chief |
in the British admiralty, |
Mr.. Pollen said:
'In bringing about this new order
of things at White Hall, the reformers
were undoubtedly assisted, first. by
The fact that an extremely effective,
we'll equipped and brilliantly COM
handed contingent of American de-
;troyers was already at work in a very
important area of the theater of war,
md next by the British government
waking up to the truth that the bellig-
rency of America meant not only the
of very gallant and en-
erprising ally, but the domestication,
o to speak, of a new and extremely
Intelligent critic"
Mr.. Pollen mentioned the consulta-
ions with the British admiralty of
three distinguished and resourceful
naval officers''-Admirals
inns, Mayo and Benson. Through
nese men, American professional
he said, has gained a
rst hand experience of the reality of
ar and has been able TO contribute
pom the character of the operations
} be pursued and of the methods of
under which they should be
arried OUT
Adverting to the recent North sea
aid by German forces, Mr.. Pollen
aid:
The only notable thing about such
lcidents is not their occasional &C. C
lrrence, but their rarity. Were the f
ritish or the American navy in the 6
Osition of the German navy, | fancy {
ley would be far more frequent" +