Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1917-03-06
U BOATS WORKING
IN OUR WATERS.
How German Submarines Might
Obtain Initiative.
WOULD OPERATE ON COASTS

Plans Were Probably Perfected and
Bases Prepared Before Break In Dip.
Ionatic Relations, Says Naval Expert.
Mine Fields Along German Coast
Might Prevent Their Return.
The German military mind looks far
into the future, and her military
movements are made with delibera-
| ton. She strikes when she is ready.
Despite much loose talk to the con-
trary, the proclamation of the present
ruthless submarine campaign was not
an act inspired by sudden anger, mad
ness or despair. On the contrary, it
was the public announcement Of de-
liberate military movement, long pre-
pared, carefully thought out and
,, launched only when the grand general
staff considered that the means were
ample and the time propitious to Sc
cure complete success, says "Nauticus,"
well known naval expert, In the
New York Tribune.
Value Of the Initiative.
The German military mind looks far
ahead, and nothing that can be cover.
ed by careful planning is ever left to
chance; hence when Germany took the
step which she believed might tend
to drag us into the war we may be
sure that she had formulated plans by
Which she could obtain the initiative
ok l,o
into American waters. This she can
DO only by sea raider and submarine,
as her great fleet is locked up in her
harbors.
In the large submarine fleet which
Germany has been building up with
feverish haste she possesses n weapon
which, provided the necessary bases
could be established, would ba as eff
fective against shipping in American
waters as it is in the North sea and
off the coast of Great Britain and
France. And herein lies the sinister
significance Of the recent visit of U
boat SO to Newport. If a single boat
could make the trip of 1000 miles. bag
half dozen ships and return without
mishap what could not few f.otillas
of these craft accomplish if German
sympathizers established secret bases
for them in the West Indies, on the
coast Of n friendly Mexico or even,
during the summer months, on the un-
frequented coast Of Labrador?
Mine Fields May Prevent Return.
Moreover. it is entirely possible that
the elaborate mine fields with which
Great Britain has surrounded the exits
from German harbOrs may prevent the
return Of many of the large seagoing
submarines which form the latest adj
dition to the German fleet. If so, they
will be forced to transfer their base
from the old to the new world.
1t would be gigantic task to in
close the German coasts with a mine
field so closely sown as to form a
screen impenetrable by the U boats.
But there is an impression among
many of the officers in our own sub !
marine service that this is what the
British navy seeks to do.
The task would be favored by the |
shallowness of the North sea, partic-
u!arly as the German coast is ap-
preached. In the northern part the |
depth varies from thirty to seventy
five fathoms, but in the latitude of
Germany it is from fifteen to twenty
five fathoms. Now, ninety to $50 feet |
is depth that would lend itself ad-
mirably to the placing Of nets. These
are the depths which prevail in the
strait of Dover, and here netting has
proved an insuperable barrier to the
German submarines.
German Bases on This Side Needed.
\ leading French naval officer has
gone on record as believing that the
latest German submarines are of 1900
TO 1900 tons displacement. Such boats,
# they could establish bases for re-
Jlenishmcnt Of fuel and supplies on
his side of the Atlantic. would be ia
'orably placed both for attack on
American shipping in American wa
crs and on allied shipping within the
'eccntly established submarine zone.
In view of this threat-and it is a
cry real Cne-it should be the part Of
he United States navy to establish
| most thorough patrol not only of our
'wn waters. but of the Mexican coast
ND of the islands of the Caribbean.
70 do this effectively will call for Il
asst auxiliary fleet TO supplement- the
work of the destroyers. scouts and
rllisers Of the navy.