Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-04-27
SEA WASPS WON'T.
ATTACK AMERICA
British Admiral Declares
Submarines Can't Ven-
ture From Base.
U.BOATS REAL MENACE
But Naval Official Thinks
They Will Be Over
come by Allies.

WASlINGTON.> April 26.-Rear
Admiral Sir Dudley r. S. DeChair,
the veteran naval officer of Great
Britain's war commission to the
United States, gave group of news
paper correspondents today a first
hand story of some of his experiences
during the two years he commanded
a patrol fleet chasing German sub
marines. Without minimizing the
gravity of the submarine menace, he
confidently predicted that it would be
overcome
Commenting on suggestions that
Germany might undertake a subma-
rlne campaign on the American coast,
the admiral said this would not be
profitable from the German point of
view without extensive supply bases
on this side of the Atlantic.
The admiral spoke Of the memoir
able lessons the allies had learned in
the war and said he and his col
leagues had come to place them at
the disposal of the American govern
ment
Many Submarines Sunk.
81 only wish" he said. that l
tOtiN ltll you iiit Vi pci
man submarines that we have sunk.
Unfortunately, however, that is
naval secret as also are the means of
detection of submarines ana of COM
hating them, which it will be neces-
saty to guard in closest secrecy until
the end of the war Your navy has
been furnished with full details, how
ever, by the present mission.
Germans Working Fast.
Nobody knows exactly how many
submarines the Germans are building,
but we know they are working ut fe-
Nerish speed and have heard reports
that they are turning out from two
to three a week.
Tine crew of a submarine as a rule
requires from six weeks to two
months training, but the officers and
other experts require at least three
months.
THE best defense against subma-
rines, we have found. is the armed
ship. During the early days they en-
trely veered away from such vessels
and even now only attack them sub
merged when it Is necessary to waste
a torpedo. which can often be lodged.
and to expose the submarine itself to
destruction. We have found that they
are very much disconnected If an
armed ship turns on them direct and
tries to run them down.
Don't Fear Night Attacks.
Might attacks by submarines are
net especially to be feared as IT Is
nearly as easy for vessel TO see
submarine as it Is for submarine TO
see vessel. Usually they run on the
surface at night, charging their bat
ter!es, and leave behihd them plain
phosphorescent wake as does tor
nt SnmptimpS of
course. they catch the loom of ship
on the skyline to great advantage. 1t
is at nieht only that they have any op- !
portunity to rig up their small wire
less devices to receive orders from
home.
Submarine chasers are very valu-
able, as they are fast and especially
unpopular with the undersea boats
A three pound gun is effective II II
strikes the vessels shell, but where
the submarine is submerged four
inch gun is desirable to break down |
the armored coming tower. Subma-
rines we know are carrying four~inch |
guns themselves, and some are re-
ported to be carrying five and six
inch guns. Their cruising capacity |
also is being largely increased.
Hard TO Tell if Sunk.
'It is extremely difficult to know If
YOU have actually sunk a submarine, |
as sometimes they merely sink to the |
bottom. Presence of oil on the sur |
face is a good indication, tho not alb
solutely conclusive. 1t may be used |
for deception. All the indications are |
good that the American steamer
Mongolia bagged one, tho 1t is pos
sihle II got away. One of the greatest
difficulties we have had to deal with
has been whales, who have absorbed
an enormous amount of projectiles
fired in the belief that they were Ger
500, Irbnatsv