The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1917-04-12
THE SUB PERIL
FIRST PROBLEM
NO ANSWER TO eERMANYs SEA
MENACE FOUND BY ALLIES.
1T IS NOW UP TO U. S. NAVY
A Chance For Our Experts--Master
Minds Already at Work on Ways
of Destroying or Capturing
u-Boats.

Washington, ID. c., April 11.-(By
John Callan O'Laughlin.) 1.-The Unit
ed States has entered the European
struggle with the knowledge that no
answer to the submarine menace has
yet been discovered
From now on it may be expected
that the American navy, enlarged by
the addition of steamers of all sizes
and descriptions and motor boats will
be on the constant lookout for the
enemy's sharks OF the sea. 1t will
be supplied with all the inventions
in use by the allies, with the details
of the methods they have employed
and with wirelessed information as
to the reported whereabouts of SUB
marines. their speed and the general
direction in which they are travelling.
Navy Losses Probable.
From time to time it is probable
submarines will be destroyed or cap
tured. More often, probably, Amer
lean ships, whether belonging to the
navy or the merchant marine will be
sunk. The allies have been fighting
the submarines for nearly three
years. They confess they have not
been able to find methods certain to
eliminate these craft from warfare
They are playing more or less hap
hazard game. Their destroyers,
trawlers and motor boats are con-
stantly patrolling. So are their aero
planes. The latter are better fitted
for service as the eyes" of the naval
craft, since from a lofty elevation
they can sight submarine or see the
motion OF the water which indicates
its presence.
Easy In Shallow Water.
Once a submarine is detected it is
less difficult to end its career. If the
vessel be found in shallow water it
is doomed to destruction. Only by
coming to the surface and dashing
for deep water can the craft get
away. But even in deep water sub
marines. are frequently caught. This
is accomplished by warships drop !
ping nets into which the U-boats be-
come entangled.
1t is evident that the finding of a !
U-boat is merely matter of chance. |
The suspicion prevails in naval cir
cles that every underwater vessel |
leaving Germany is supplied with in
structions as to the area in which it
shall operate. At night all come to
the surface in order to, recharge their
storage batteries, to let the men
come on deck and communicate by
wireless with Berlin. Thus the |
movements of the entire feet are di-
rected from the German capital.
Germans Well Informed.
OF course, information obtained by |
spies and from various other sources
regarding the arrival and departure |
of ships from world ports is conveyed
to the sea tigers, so that they some
times know the specific steamer they
are to attack. In other words, so far
as Germany is concerned, there is
nothing left to chance, except of
course, the chance OF war.
The submarines are sent out for
limited period There are various
bases, supplied by submarine cargo
boats, where they can renew their
supplies. The British government,
for instance, found bases off the !
coast of Ireland and Scotland. There
have been rumors of bases established
along the New England coast and the '
coast of Colombia and other coun-
tries bordering on the Caribbean sea.
These rumors have been investigated
and found to be incorrect but no one
here would be surprised should
events prove that submarine bases
are in close proximity to the Allan
tic coast OF the United States and the !
Panama canal.
A Job for Scientists.
1t is something to be forewarned. !
From now on all the brains and en-
ergy of the navy department and the
boards of scientists working under
its direction will be conyerged upon /
the question of finding a remedy for
the U-boat trouble. Submarine de-
tectors, are being tested These in
struments are able to show the pres
ence of an underwater boat and it's
distance. Unfortunately, as yet it [
has not been possible to develop the |
instruments to the point of determin- /
ing the distance of the craft below |
the surface. Once this Improvement
is made the U-boat can be accurately |
torpedoed.
Naval experts say too much reii-
ance ought not to be placed by the
country upon motor boats. Hun
dreds of these vessels are in the ser
vice of England, France and Italy. |
They have failed to obtain anywhere
near the results secured by torpedo