Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1917-12-26
BRITIsHER is OPTIMISTIC.
Sees BETTER Results on the Water for
@ the Future.

New York, Dec. 19.-Arthur Pol
len, British naval expert, who has
sailed for Europe after spending six
months in the United States, gave to
the Associated Press a statement In
which he said that the campaign OF
the allied navies against the subma-
rlre has at last resulted in keeping
the worlds ship tonnage from show
Ing monthly decrease. or will soon
do SO. Mr.. Pollen gives credit for
this success to the change in The
chief command carried out by The
British. admiralty last spring ard the
participation of tho American navy.
Allies Building Ships.
Mr.. Pollen pointed out that six
months ago the German submarines
were causing a net attrition in the
worlds tonnage at the rate Of nearly
20 per cent annually. While the
present rate Of attrition Is difficult to
estimate, 1t appeared that last month
Great Britain launched as much tom
mage as she lost; the hrst ship laid
down by the United States since the
war has been launched, and, within
tho next twelve months substantial
portion of tho 100000 tons pro-
tided for in this country will un-
doubtedly be ahoat. Great Britain's
shiDbuilding program will similarly
increase month by month, and more
over the campaign Of the allied ma
vies against the submarine will grow
in value week by week, he said
| "The significance of this to the
fortunesIof war does not have to be
pointed out" Mr.. Pollen continued.
1T means that Germany's flank at
tack on allied communications has
tailed and that there is no reason
why ultimately the full military
power of Great Britain, France and
Italy, and more important of all, of
the United States, should now be
felt in the western theater Of war.
This is tremendous result"
Speaking Of the change in the chief
command in the British admiralty
| Mr.. Pollen said
I'm bringing about this new or
| der OF things at Whitehall, the re-
| formers were undoubtedly assisted,
first. by the fact that an extremely
effective, we'll equipped and bril-
liantly commanded contingent of
American destroyers was already at
| work In very important area Of the
theater Of war, and next by the Brit
ish government waking up to the
trqth hat the belligerency of Amer
iR meant not only the cooperation
Of "a very gallant and enterprising
| ally but the domestication, so to
speak, OF new and extremely intel
ligent critic"
U. 8. Naval Officers Praised.
Mr.>Pollen mentioned the consul
tations with the British admiralty of
three distinguished and resourceful
American naval officers" Admirals
| SIMS Mayo and Benson. Through
these men, American professional
knowledge" he said, "has gained q
frst-hand experience Of the reality
of war and has been able to contrib
nte an impersonal and impartial
5udEment upon the character Of the
operations to be pursued and Of
the methods Of command under
which they should be carried out.
! cannot doubt for moment that
much of the improved efficiency Of
the counter-campaign is due to this
intellectual stimulus"
Mr.. Pollen paid tribute to Secre-
tary Daniels, praising what he de-
scribed as the Secretary's policy Of
obtaining loyal team work by allow
ing the forces under his orders to be
directed "in strictly professional
matters according to the Judgment
and advice Of the singularly able and
efficient officers that, so to speak.
form his council of war"
| Adverting the recent North Sea
raid by German forces, Mr.. Pollen
said:
The only remarkable thing about
such incidents is not their occasional
occurrence, but their rarity. We're
the British or the American navy in
| the position of the German navy,
fancy they would be far more fre
quent.'