New-York tribune., 1917-07-20
Fear Defeat
If u. S. Doesn't
Build Fast Ships
Mercantile Men Hold Hur-
ried Conference in Cham
Der of Commerce

Shipping men who assembled in con-
ference at the Chamber of Commerce
of the State Of New York yesterday is
sued a warning to the country that un-
less immediate preparations are made
to combat U-boat warfare with all the
resources at our command the war may
be considered won-by Germany.
The conference was called at two
days notice by E. II. Outerbridge,
president of the chamber after a hur-
ried trip to Washington. Mr.. Outer
bridge declared that the primary pur-
pose in calling the meeting was to
awaken the country to the fact that II
the present rate of sinkings is main
tanned without the full force of our IN
dustrial efforts there could be but one
conclusion-th defeat of the Aimed
Powers. Prominent marine men from
all parts of the country joined with
Mr.. Outerbridge in the plea that the
country awake from its lethargy and
build ships, ships and more ships
Charts illustrating the results OF
unrestricted U-boat warfare, which had
been prepared on data furnished by
the Italian government, aroused those
present to denunciation OF the dila-
tory methods employed in Washington;
The demand was for ships that wouIo
attain a speed of fifteen or sixteen
knots while in danger zones and twelve
knots for ordinary travel, the extra
speed to be supplied by reserve en-
qines. which could be removed at the
end of the war to afford greater ton
mage capacity.
"The whole question of winning this
war bv defeating U-boat warfare" said
Mr.. Outerbridge, "is one of speed. The
naval authorities agree that it is abb
solutely impracticable to build de-
stroyers enough to convoy the thou
sands of slow-going merchant shlps
that must carry the foodstuffs and mu-
nitions and supplies across the Atlan-
tic. Therefore there is only one pos
sible way to avert the near approaching
disaster. Every ship built by the United
States. Great Britain, France and Italy
in their yards must De built OF class
and with a reserve power of speed tnat
will enable the vessel, without convoy,
to get away from a submarine, as
shown on this chart"
Mr. Outerbridge pointed to chart
prepared by William B. Potter. OF the
General Electric Company, and .. D.
Doyle, of the Interborough Rapid iran
sit, illustrating that the greater the
speed at the command of a merchant
vessel the less danger was there OF pe-
ING hit bv a torpedo. A merchant ves-
sci unable to make speed greater than
/ ten or eleven knots, said Mr.. outer
bridge. certainly could be nothing more
than food" for the undersea craft. 1t
was also said that the recent contracts
made for the construction of new steel
merchant ships by the government are
on the basis of 1012, IL and II knots
speed.
"Thus," continued Mr.. Outerbridge,
"the question as TO whether u-boat
warfare is to be successful is ques-
ton of speed. And by speed mean
speed of quantity production, speed OF
the ship herself and the ability to
maneuvre in the danger zone.
Figures Are Deceptive
"The country has been deceived by
erroneous data that have been pub
/ lished regarding sinkings. The time
has come when facts have got TO be
stripped of deception. ! want to say
! that yesterday, at meeting IN TINS
chamber. attended by all the repre-
| sHipPAH6 ihNi' " N''-S N.N'
/ that could be summoned, and by the
representatives of the leading marine
I insurance companies, this situation was
presented as it has been presented here
! to-day, and there was an absolutely
! unanimous opinion that there was only
one policy for the government to adopt
and follow. That policy was that every
industry and effort be coordinated on
a programme of building ships, pre-
| ferably steel ships. of the highest pos
sible reserve power and speed; ships
! that under a normal condition would
cross the Atlantic at twelve knots. for
economy, until they reached the danger
zone, and, that once within the zone,
at fifteen or sixteen knots, so as to
enable them 10 60 through the zone
with the greatest protection of all
! sufficient speed"