New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-27
British Admiral Talks About
His Nays Work of
Sweeping Seas
Whales Shot byMistake
Four Men on Trawler Put
Submarine Out Of Commits
sion with a Shovel

Washington, April rs. Rear Admiral
Sir Dudley r. s. De Chair the veteran
naval officer Of Great Brtai1's war
mission to the United Statcg, today
told Washington newspaper core
spondcnts some Of his experience dur
ing the two years he commanded
patrol fleet chasing German sub
marines. Without minimizing the
gravity Of the submarine menace, he
confidently predicted that it would be
overcome.
81 only wish" he said, that ! could
tell you the number Of German sub
marines that we have sunk. Unfortu'
natcly, however, that is a naval secret
as also are the means Of detection OF
Submarines and Of combating them,
which it will be necessary to guard IN
closest secrecy until the end Of the
war. Your navy has been furnished
with full details, however by the pres
ent mission
Little Fear of U-bOats Here
A. to the prospect Of submarines APP
pearing in American waters, Admiral
De Chair said:
ct would not pay Germany to in
augurate a general submarine cam
paign off the American coast, unless
she could also establish bases here.
Each submarine carries from eight 70
ten torpedocs. besides limited fuel
supply. and these would largely be
wasted in the long trip over and back,
not TO mention the warm reception she
would probably receive.
Mother submarines to supply fuel
ard torpedoes are known 20 be in
operation. but little direct evidence
has been received that they are sue
ocssful. The great difficulty in locat-
ing the submarines on patrol is largely
responsible As a result. the Germans
prefer to stay out for two On three
weeks and then return to port whence
they are sent out again. almost before
the crews have had time to 90 ashore.
Nobody knows exactly how many
submarines the Germans are building,
but we know they are working at
fcverish speed. and have heard reports
that they arc turning out from two to
three a week. The time Of construction
- about eight months. with a similar
length OF time for torpedoes. and great
uncertainty exists as 10 how long Ger
rany can continue TO supply both yes
sells and tOrpedOes. We only wish the
press could hclp us TO learn this.
Crews Nearly Crazy
The crew Of submarine, as a rule.
requires from SIX weeks to two months
training. hut the officers and other eX-
perts require at least three months.
There have been many reports that the
Germans have been forced to weaken
the personnel Of the high sea fleet to
maintain their supply Of Seamen. but
OF this we are uncertain. II is, how
ever. absolutely true that some Of the
captured crews are nearly crazy and
wholly sick OF their job.
"The best defence against Subma-
r.nes. we have found, is the armed ship.
During the early days they entirely
veered away from such vessels. and
even now only attack them submerged,
when il is necessary to waste tor
redo. which can often be lodged, and
10 expose the submarine itself to de-
structiou.
I'VE have found that they are very
much Disconnected if a ship tries 20 run
them down.
Submarines Fear "Chasers'
Submarine 'chascrs' are very valu-
able. as they are very fast, and es-
pecially unpopular with the undersea
boats. A three pound gun is effective if
il strikes the vessels shell. but where
the submarine is submerged a four-inch
gun is desirable 10 break down the ar
mored coming tower. SuDmarineS\ we
know. are carrying four-inch guns
themselves. and some are reported to be
carrving five and six inch guns. Their
cruising capacity is also being largely
increased.
"One Of the great difficulties we have
had to deal with has been whales, which
have absorbed an enormous amount Of
proiectiles fired in the belief that they
we're German U-boats."
Admiral i. Chair told striking