The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1917-04-18

man submarine merely foreshadows
sporadic raid, such as the U-53 con-
ducted off the New England coast, or
whether it is the signal for the be-
ginning of general submarine block
ade of the Atlantic coast, is not vet
known.
The attack by the U-boat is Ger
many's first recognition Of the state
of war declared by the United States.
1t was stated in Germany soon after
the action of Congress, that no ag-
gressive steps would be taken against
the United States.
| Virtually no American officials be-
lieved this statement, however, and
moves to meet aggressive steps were
at once taken. The probability of
submarine attack on unprotected sea-
board cities and towns, raids on ship
ping within sight of American shores
and a. submarine blockade of the
principal Atlantic ports to terrorize
shipping and people, were expected
Last week word came to Washing
ton that Germany was about to de-
clare prohibited submarine zone
about the harbors at Boston, New
York, the Delaware capes, Chesa-
peake bay, Charleston and Savannah
virtually all the important rocts on
the Atlantic seaboard.
Some American officials we're dis
inclined to credit the report, but En-
tente diplomats here predicted that
Germany would soon carry the sub
marine campaign to this side of the
Atlantic, principally to scare neutral
shipping away from American har-
bors and to raid the great merch ant
fleets moving food and supplies to
Americas allies.
Some officials think that The lack
of declaration of a prohibited zone
IN American waters may be due to
the crippled condition of communica-
tions with Germany.
Without such a declaration, thew
assert, Germany will incur great
claims of damages to neutrals and
VIII carry on new campaign with
out the color of legal authority which
she contends the declaration of bar
red zone lends to it.
With submarine war brought close
to the doors of America, the posi-
bility that German U-boats may have
bases on this side of the Atlantic is
revived. The raid of the U-53 and
the Deutschland's two trips demon
strated that German submarines could
escape the British naval cordons and
reach America. Whether submer-
slble could make such a trip and re-
turn without getting supplies on this
side of the Atlantic is gravely doubt
ed. Many officials here always have
believed that the U-53 had mother
ship. The possibility that merchant
submarines of the Deutschland type,
now converted to carriers of fuel oil
and supplies, might accompany flotil-
las of the war boats on their trans
atlantic raids, is recognized as being
ever present. The possibility Of bases
having been planted by the German
raiders recently at large in the South
Atlantic is one Of the foremost. The
possibility of a German submarine
base in the Gulf of Mexico has long
been recognized, and many officials
have been convinced that when the
raiding began the raiders would come
from that quarter.
Bases on Rocky Coasts.
There also have been many reports
OF secret German bases on the rocky
and inaccessible coasts Of Maine and
Northern Canada, but since there has
been no evidence Of the use of such
bases it is considered unlikely that
even if they exist they can now be
brought into use in Germany's war
: fare against the United States.
Naval officers recognize the danger
: of submarine operations off American
coast but are confident Of the navy's
ability to deal with them.
Expert opinion is that some ship
ping is bound to be lost if the raid
ing is extensive, but that submarines
, operating 5000 miles away from
home have most of the disadvantages
to contend with