New-York tribune., 1917-06-02
Build Small Vessels
Low. Silent Ship Has Best Chance
Against U-Boat

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: The U-boat continues its menace If
we would keep the fight on the other side OF
the water we must keep up the transport OF
supplies and later send also men.
Our first suggestion to accomplish this was
large numbers Of relatively small vessels to
be quickly built.
Lately we hear much about large vessels
which, it is suggested. could make torpeco
proof Do We realize what this means
Modern explosives have been developed until
they can destroy the strongest forts men
can build. II the forts of Liege and Namur
could be destroyed why should we hope TO
build ship that cannot be torn TO pieces
II big ship with its valuable cargo IS once
located certainly the submarine will not
readily give up its prey. Such prize IS
worth and must expect to receive many tor
pedoes. And if BY great ingenuity we made
something that many torpedoes Of the present
size would not destroy, We may be assured
that the Germans would quickly produce
bigger torpedoes that would destroy 1t.
At present many torpedoes miss. IL mas
been stated that on the average only one OUT
Of three that are fred hits the ship. With big
ships for marks more torpedoes would MT.
These figures OF torpedoes that miss and the
figures that show the number OF ships that
altogether miss being seen by submarines
are worthy of study.
Here is hope The submarine even when
on the surface is low in the water, and when
submerged has his eye only just above the
waves. He cannot see far, particularly II
the object be low Let US then study 10
make our ships Of low visibility. There IS
much we can do in this line. and 1t does not
seem unreasonable to hope that the distance
at which they can be seen may be reduced 70
NOT over one-third of what is common now.
This would reduce the area in which they
could be seen from one point to one-ninth.
Silence Necessary
But submarines can hear ships approach.
Fortunately, however, they cannot hear much
further than they can be heard unless they
are in shallow water where they can lie
silently on the bottom. Obviously then we
must seek to make our ships as quiet and as
smooth running as possible.
Doing our best in these lines, however
some Of our ships will be found and inter
rupted and will be attacked. If they can
turn quickly so as to offer only the beam IN
stead of the length as target for the tor
pedo. and can steam faster than the subma-
rine when il is under water, and have guns
TO make him afraid to come above water
they have. it is said. one chance out OF iour
OF escaping. We should therefore make
tben, fast and ouick 10 turn.
Boiled down. this means keep out OF sight
and sound as far as possible and when iound
dodge and run away. 1t is not a glorious
proceeding. but it is what practice Is teach
ing. II is the old blockade running game
For that small. low. fast ships were built
and they must be built again.
Low visibility, silence and small disturb
ance in the water, quick turning and the
minimum target all call for small ships.
Our last speeds easier -
attain in large ships. but we can get speed
enough in small ones if their lines and de-
sign be right.
Furthermore, small ships, whether bullt o.
steel or wood, can be built quicker than large
ones. and the pressing need now is for ships
for early delivery.
Let us not count the cost now. for anything
that we can spend on these ships IS cheap
compared to the cost of fighting Germany
alone-and that is the alternative. r. II.
Washington, d. C., May 3O 1917.