New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-05-06

menace is still a. much Of problem
a. it ever was. J am not authorized 10
give ont any information concerning
tho Naval Consulting Board or It's dc
alterations. but ] will say ] attended
IKE last meeting Of that body a week
ago IN Washington, and that ! am viii
ing to bet my head against eoeoanut
that the solution has not yet been
reached
Germany is going TO win tho war
unless we get troops TO Europe and
sufficient supplies TO the Allies This
can be accomplished. in my opinion, not
by wiping out the submarine, but by
building torpedo-proof ships. | have
Just completed the invention Of an
armor. adaptable 70 merchant ships,
which torpedoes cannot penetrate
DR.. Bsekiand expressed much sur
prise ~ Mr.. Saunders's announcement.
Il know Of 10 scheme thus far APP
proved that SIS sufficiently radical TO
cope with undcrsca craft" he said. AL
sorts OF plans are proposed TO our
board, but none OF them has yet been
found efficient.
During the last few days we have
been experimenting with a plan that
seemed more promising than any other
But 10 certainly has not developed far
enough % be called a success. The
situation is still extremely grave, and
u would be positively harmful TO re-
port that the problem was near solu-
ton"
Still Searching. Says Robins
Thomas Robins. secretary OF the
board, gave out this statement last
evening from the Engineers Club:
III Mr. Saunders was correctly quot
ed as saying that some American genius
has perfected an invention which will
clear waters Of submarines. he must
know Of some invention which is not
known TO me or 10 the other members
Of the board
I'VE are still searching for exactly
that kind or an invention. ! am in
clincd 20 believe that some remark Of
Mr. Sauuders's has been misconstrued.'
Mr.. SpraCue. who is chairman of the
boards committee on electricity and
shipbuilding, made the following writ
ten statement at the request Of The
Tribune:
81 am reluctant TO make any com
ment on matters relating to actions OF
the board. but Chairman Saunders has
been reported IN several evening apers
IN such a variety of statements that |
fear unwarranted hope may be raised
regarding the progress made in the
solution Of a difficult problem
81 have not been able TO communi-
cate with Mr.. Saunders, but / am quite
sure that some chance remark. or eX-
preston Of confidence in the ability OF
American engineers and inventors, has
been unduly amplfed.
Would withhold Details
"Of course, If any plan for the end.
ing Of the submarine menace should
meet with the approval Of the board, /
and the acid test Of practical use, there
would probably be an announcement
Of the fact But the details would be
withheld.
"Many suggestions are constantly
being made looking TO the detection
Of. and defence against, submarines. /
Some are worthless, others have the
element Of promise. These suggestions
are sometimes made TO the board /
through its secretary, sometimes
through the Navy Department, some /
times directly TO individual members. /
But all are given full consideration.
"Mr. Saunders. who has thoroughly /
believed with others, that solution |
of the problem will be found, may have /
been fortunate enough to have evolved /
happy scheme. or he may have been /
made the recipient. between meetings, /
Of some seemingly acceptable plan or /
invention We should all be indeed glad |
II such be- the fact. But am not aware |
of anything Of the kind.
The problem is a very difficult one. |
and is being vigorously attacked both |
here and abroad As to what has al