Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-04-13
ALLIED OFFICERS
F.. CONFER ON PLANS
FOR COOPERATION
British and French Admi.
rails Meet Naval Heads
| in Washington.
THEIR SHIPS WILL BE
WITHDRAWN FROM PATROL
American Fleet Will Take Over
This Duty as First Move in
War on Germany.
CLOSE WATCH FOR SUBMARINES
! Formal Announcement Of Blockade
Of Our Ports by Berlin
! Is Expected.
LOSE WATCH FOR SUBMARINES
Formal Announcement Of Blockade
Of Our Ports by Berlin
Is Expected.
Try Associatcd rrcas. |


WASIIINGTON. April i.-With high
British and French naval officers in
conference here with American naval
officials. definite steps have been
taken toward participation of the
American navy In the war against
Germany.
Patrol of the entire Atlantic sea
board. reaching southwark to the
Panama Canal Zone. aud possibly
northward to include Canada. will oe
the first duty of American warships.
With that goes tho necessity Of guard
ing against the probable extension of
the German submarine campaign to in
cludc approaches to major American
ports
British and French ships now OIL
this patrol duty will be withdrawn
as soon as the American forces have
their lines established. The American
sduadrons will operate from British
and French bases in tho South Atlantic
wherever necessary.
This was learned to day in connoc-
ton with the announcement that Vice.
Admiral NJ. L. Browning, of the British
navy, and Rear-Admiral Il. y. Grasset
of the French navy, arc in Washington
comforting with Secretary Daniels Nd
miral Benson. chief Of naval opera
tions. and other officers of the Ameri-
can navy. The conferences have to do
with the part the American fleet will
play in the war. either Immediately or
later, when its strength in light pa
troll craft and trained men has been
increased.
SHIPS TO CARRY OUT
VIGOROUS PATROL
Commanders of the British and
French forces off the American coasts
it is known, have expected that Ger
many would extend her submarine
operations to these waters. Arrange
ments TO patrol vigorously the APP
proaches to the chief American har-
bors have been made, and will be car
ried out by American ships.
1t has been expected that Germany
would formally announce a submarine
blockade OF Boston. New York, the
mouth OF the Delaware, the mouth of
the Chesapeake. Charleston and Sa-
vannah. These are the arteries through
which flows the main traffic in food
stuffs and war supplies for Europe
Unless blockade is declared, Ger
many would be under the necessity
OF giving warning before attacking
y.
Many navy officers doubt that any
considerable number OF German sub
marines can be spared from the task
OF blockading the British Isles for
work on this side of the Atlantic.
Sporadic operations within such pre-
scrihed areas are looked for. and no
precauiion to guard against them will
be overlooked by the navy.
The Navy Department has a consid-
cradle supply OF submarine trap nets
already available, and more Will be
delivered within few days II is as
sumed that the approaches to Ameri-
can harbors will he fully protected in
this way and the fleet OF submarine
chascrs now being assembled. equipped
and manned. distributed to comb the
seas night aud day
CONFERENCES DEAL
WITH MANY SUBJECTS
The conferences with the visiting
officers have dealt with many subjects
II is understood that not only will
tho naval bases and other British and
French ports on this side OF the At
ian'ic be opened to American naval
vessels but tnat whenever need arises
ports on the French and British coasts
VIII be placed At their disposal An
American naval port probably VIII be
established at some future time on the
Irish coast when tho measures of CO.
operation have been extended
Accompanying Admiral Browning
arc the following british naval offi-
GERS: Captain a. Lownes: G. ~ Miller
nag secretary 10 the commander; Flas
Lieutenant Commander a. r.. j. South
ny, and Captain l.. q. Checsmaa. Royal
Marine Light Infantry.
Accompanying Admiral Grasset ts
Flag Lieutenant James Hennesy, of
the French navy, who also is member
OF the French Chamber ot Deputies
NO HARD AND FAST LINES
AS TO MEASURES Or HEfr
There arc indications that the United
States does not now contemplate any
hard and fast agreement as to the
measures OF cooperation. What lis
done will be determined by the needs
OF the situation, and tho sbility of the
navy To carry out particular pagt
of the program. As the strength ofsthe
American fleet increases In small craft
submarines. destrcyers and other
lighter units, the portions allotted to