Bisbee daily review., 1917-08-31
ALLAN T|C |S.
 PA 1 ROLLED. BY SHIPS IF. YANKEE NAVY.
American Warships Are Con- voying Shipping Across the Atlantic-Airplanes Aid in
 Fighting Submarine Menace
(By Review Leased Wire.)

MAI can naval forces are convoy WV ing merchant craft across the
 Atlantic it was disclosed off cially today at the navy department and examination of the records show that the loss of conveyed ships by submarines averaged less than one half of one per cent. Details of the convoy system are withheld. It was stated, however, that American war vessels are regularly escorting fleets of British, French or other allied mer- chantmen, the protection being sup plemented when the danger zone is reached.
 Checking Sub Menace
 American naval officials believe that an effective system for checking the submarine menace is being built up gradually but certainly.
 Many devices and many methods enter into the task. Among other things, depth bombs are proving ef- fective.
 Official reports indicate that Ameri- can destroyers have accounted for several U-boats with these weapons. No announcement of such incidents will be made, however, unless abso- lute proof of the fact is available.
 No Boats Captured
 No U-boat has been captured by the Americans It is the best judgment of high officials, however, that several have been sunk by Admiral Sims de- stroyers and they are confident that the submarine menace will be sub stantially abated as the number of destroyers and other craft available for the work is increased.
 Work Far at Sea
 Reports from London that submar- ines are working farther at sea than formerly were confirmed by the navy department. It may be that new boats of greater size and best sea keeping qualities lend to this exten- sion of the zone of activities, but it is regarded as more probable that the increased vigilance of the anti-sub- marine forces is mainly responsible.
 Arplanes Aid Patrols
 The effect of the increasing patrol of the employment of airplanes and of the addition of new devices to the anti-submarine weapons has been to force the U-boats under water to a greater degree. Their effectiveness is limited in proportion. They con I r1as Nf craze speed if kept under water. They can operate only against ships that almost stumble upon them. All the time they are under water they are consuming the stored power of their storage batteries, decreasing their range of water action and compelling them to come up at night and lie idle on the surface while their oil engines are used to recharge their batteries.
 Swift Ships Needed
 The decision of the navy depart ment to spend $35O, ,OOO,O 900 on new destroyers and destroyerbuilding fa- cilities. approved yesterday by Presi- dent Wilson, is based on the effective ntSS Ol lhO Snill DOdlo piOftu Og Admiral Sims forces.
 Every effort to speed the new pro gram as well as the old will be made and during the next year the Ameri- can destroyer force in European wat CTS probably can be more than doub. led.
 Ships Rushed
 Destroyers now under construction are being rushed to completion and reports on progress are satisfactory. American experts have developed a depth bomb for use against submar- ines that is deadly at considerable range. The bomb containing high ex- plosive is dropped from a destroyer over a spot where the presence ol .. submarine is indicated It is timed to explode at a certain depth. If the explosion occurs below the U-boat and within a reasonable distance, the pull of the underwater craft cannot with stand the pressure but is crushed like an eggshelL
 Signs on Surface
 Signs of destruction in this way ap-