The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1917-09-06
U. S. Navy Conveying
Our Merchant Ships
Across the Atlantic

Washington, Aug. 80. = American
naval forces are conveying merchant
craft across the Atlantic, it was dis
closed officially today at the navy de-
partment, and examination of the rec.
ords show that the loss of conveyed
ships by submarines has 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 es.
corting fleets Of allied merchantmen
across. the protection being supple.
mented when the danger zone is
reached by destroyers and other patrol
croft.
Certain to Beat U-eoats
American naval officers believe that
an effective system for checking the
submarine menace is being built UP
gradually, but certainly Many devices
and methods enter into the task.
Among other things depth bombs are
proving effective. Official reports in.
dictate that American destroyers have
encountered several U.boats and &C
counted for them with these weapons.
No announcement of such incidents
will be made, however, unless absolute
proof Of the fact is available.
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 des.
troyers and they are confident today
| more confident that ever before, that
| the submarine menace will be sub,
stantially abated as the number of
destroyers and other craft available
for the work is increased
Restricts U-Boat Travel
Reports from London that the sub.
marines are working now farther at
sea than formerly, were confirmed by
the navy department. 1t may be that
new boats Of greater size and better
sea-going qualities lends to this ex>
tension of the zone, but it is regarded
as more probable that the Increased
vigilance of the anti-submarine forces
MAY be responsible.
The effect Of the increasing patrol
of the employment of airplanes and OF
the addition Of new devices to the init
submarine weapons, has been to force
the U-boats under water to agreater
and greater degree. Their effectiveness
is limited in proportion. They cannot
run down a. merchant ship of average
speed if kept under water. They car
operate only against ships that almost
stumble upon them. And all the time
they are under water they are con
Stunning stored power of their storage
batteries, decreasing their range OF
underwater action, and compelling
them to come up at night and lie idle
in the surface while their oil engines
are used to recharge the batteries.
Speed Up shipbuiidino
| the decision of the navy depart
mont to spend $3.50, 900, 900 on new des
troyers and destroyer-building faciii
Files, approved by President Wilson
yesterday, is based on the effective
ness of the swift fighting machines
as proved by Admiral Sims forces. Ev
cry effort to speed the new program
as we'll as the old will be made and
during the next year the American
destroyer force in European waters
probably can be more than doubled
The destroyers now under construction
are being rushed to completion and re
ports on progress are satisfactory.
American experts have developed q
depth bomb for use against submarines
that is deadly at considerable range
The bomb, containing high explosives
is dropped from destroyer over a
spot where the preserve of subma
rine is indicated. 1t is timed to ex
plode at certain depth. If the ex
plosion occure below the U-boas and
within a reasonable distance, the hull
Of the underwater craft is crushed.