Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1917-08-10


War Is Won-Undersea Explosive
Has Played a Large Part In Combat
ing the Menace.
The navy departments twofold pro
gram in this war, based partly upon
the prospect of perfeeting a device to
detect submarines at ten miles, has
been outlined to the press.
If the device is perfected-and the
best brains in this country are secretly
working on it day and night-a Gordon
of destroyers will bottle the U boats
at their base. If 1t Is not a COM
bined naval and aerial attack must be
made upon the German coast and the
occupied coast of Belgium. The sub
marine, 1t is agreed, must be eliminate
ed before the war Is won.
Expect Success Soon.
The general board feels that the pres
ent method of fighting the submarine
menace is merely a makeshift and that
1t will never make the seas safe for
merchantmen, no matter how well the
surface is controlled by the allied ma
vies. Some success has beer achieved
with the mechanism of detecting sub
marines, but the invention has yet to
be perfected. Within the next few
months it is believed that the mechan-
ical experts who are working on the
device will be able to report to the
navy department that it is ready for
service.
In the event that this invention
proves it's value as a detector over a
range of ten miles 1t is the purpose
of the American navy to establish a
line across the Skagerak, another
across the English channel and an
other across the North sea in front
of the German coast. Other lines of
detectors will be stretched across the
various waters where the submarines
operate.
The first consideration, however, will
be to get an underwater detection
across the channels used by the sub
marines in leaving and entering their
bases. When this is accomplished the
submarine fighters which are now at
tempting to pick up the submarines
will be drawn in a solid line in con-
nection with the detectors.
Undersea Explosive.
When the underwater raiders at
tempt to leave their bases they will be
spotted by the detectors. The surface
craft will then get a line on them, and
it is believed that it will be virtually
impossible for them to make their way
to the trade routes.
The detection invention represents
the great scientific contribution which
the United States has been reported to
have in the making. Heretofore it's
nature was never explained publicly.
Already the United States navy has
aad great success with the underwater
explosive, which is dropped into the
water and explodes upon contact with
the submersible. These will be used
extensively in the new campaign.
The general board of the navy has
under consideration a terrific naval and
aerial attack upon the German coast
and upon the coast of Belgium now
controlled by the Germans. The navy
experts believe that it would be in
advisable to attempt to make this at
tack until thousands of aeroplanes are
available to carry Il the campaign.
This joint attack will have to await
the completion of the American aerial
feet, and therefore it cannot be en-
gineered before ext year. Naval *
perts realize that this attack, if sue
cessful, would be extremely expensive
In life.
The army and navy Joint councils
are satisfied that it is hopeless at pres
emit to try to break through the west
ern line and that no successful attack
can be made until the German bases
are destroyed and a force is landed on
the German coast. Before this pro-
gram can be carried out they agree
that the submarine must be eliminated.
Since the United States entered the
war the younger naval officers have
urged the administration to suggest to
Great Britain the ACCESSIBILITY of max
ing a naval drive at the German coast
to destroy the submarine base. Vice
Admiral Sims, in command of the
American naval forces In European wa
tiers, has reported that such an attack
would not be feasible at this time.
Plans for a great naval engagement
have been worked out, but their con-
summation depends upon factors which
cannot now be brought into play.
At the present time the United States
has every available ship Of the minor
class in European waters assisting the
British feet in destroying submarines.
Just as rapidly as more ships are sent
down the ways they will be sent
abroad.
Sacrifice.
No action has been taken by Governor