Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-02-17
EDITOR
MEETING THE U-BoAT RAIDS.


Britain's determined silence upon the subject of
her campaign against German submarines is now
seen TO be one OF the masterstrokes of the war No
one outside few British officials possibly one
or two Of the Allies, and certain of the Germans
knows whether Britain has captured half dozen or
five hundred of the U-boats. No one knows whether
Britain is stopping the submarines. whether Brit
ish tonnage is being worn down faster than it can
be built up.
In this ignorance is source of strength for Eng
land The traditional power of the British navy
naturally leads to the belief that measures have been
found to meet the U-bOat war. And it must be a
constant source of anxiety to Germany Her sub
marines go out disappear, are never heard of again
Some are reported sunk; the majority simply van
ish. Where are they? Only England can answer
and England will not speak until the war is over.
There was sinister grim exultation in the bare
statement by Jellicoe few days ago that he is mot
dissatisfied with the number of submarines which
do not return to Germany"
Not even Kitchener himself could put it more
dourly than this.
Little has been allowed to come from England as
10 what preparations are being made to meet the
new campaign. 1t is known that the Allied navies.
which in the past have lacked coordination are get
ting together. and there are signs Of an intense if
unadvertised activity at the admiralty that fits into
the generally accepted theory of impending trial
of strength between Britain and Germany that will
test the comparative resources of the two countries
and particularly under the sea.
While the Asquith government waited Germany
got ready her undersea feet estimated by some as
high as 800. Most of them are submarine cruisers,
built to operate from their base. Opposed to this
is the traditional blue water policy of Britain which
has produced the greatest feet ever under one flag
manned by personnel in which every sailor and Of
fcer is true to type, and commanded by a combina-
ton of brains skill and dash-Carson, Jellicoe and
Beatty. .@.
The unknown quantity. says a London observer is
whether the enemy has stolen march on the old gov
eminent which delayed while every shipyard in Ger
many worked ceaselessly. At the present rate,
F-boats are wearing down merchant tonnage faster
than it is being replaced. The new department of
shipping under Sir Joseph Maclay is applying itself
strenuously to the organizing of shpbuilding. All
facilities are to be used for building small cargo
boats in large numbers by turning out quickly stand
ardzed parts at scattered facilities which will be
senbled and put together at convenient centes thus
tearing another leaf from Germany's book.
The government is not taking the public into its
confidence regarding the arming of merchantmen,
which might prove vital element in the submarine
defense program. Here England comes UP against
america as Germany does in respect to sinking at
sight. ~
If England can arm forward and abeam as well
as aft she can in time enable each merchantmen to
meet an attacking submarine on equal fighting
terms, thus giving her strength of four TO one by
counting her merchant feet at 1000 and conceding
the German maximum to be 1000 submarines.