New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-03
American Naval Officers
FaUor Policy of Secrecy
Regarding Ship Losses
By ARTHUR s. DRAPER
[By Cable 10 The Tnbunel

By ARTHUR s. DRAPER
[By Cable TO The Tnbunel
London, Aug. 2.-Despite the persist
ent demand of the press and Parlia-
ment, the government still adheres to
policy of secrecy regarding the destruc-
ton of mercantile tonnage.
The campaign begun several months
ago and allowed to drop is now being
renewed with increased vigor, as the re-
ports from America indicate that there
is considerable apprehension there. |
understand that American naval officers
support the British Admiralty's decision
against the publication of tonnage fig
ures and that they consider the good
done by public announcement would be
more than Offset by the injury to the
Allied naval activities. The government
has taken a strong stand. and will not
withdraw, though it fully appreciates
the widespread demand for fuller fig
ures.
Lord Northcliffe's Daily Mail"
which leads the press campaign, under
! the caption, "Concealment Hides a
Bankrupt SYSTEM returns to the at
| tack with an editorial, which says the
question for the Admiralty, the War
Cabinet and the nation is whether the
defensive system is to continue until
IL produces a complete breakdown or
whether, while there is yet time, 1t is
to be changed.
Offensive Called For
Until we have officers who are mas
ters sof history-which is also the sci
ence of strategy-and who can plan
oper offensive in charge of our staff
a..d operations DIVISION" it says, 1--WE
have not exhausted every resource.
There are such men in our navy on
the captains and commanders lists.
P6tain. who now commands the French
army, and Ludendorff. who directs .he
German strategy, are both men Of that
kind"
The latest Admiralty reports show
little improvement in the situation.
The naval correspondent Of "The
Times" points out that the curious
feature of the last returns is the de-
crease in the number Of ships escap-
ing after attack. He writes:
"The highest monthly averages are
those for June and April. when TWEEN
ty-one escaped. In May the figures
came down 70 twenty, and until the
present month. when the average was
only thirteen, the lowest had been
fourteen for Marcn What explana-
ton there may be for these huctua-
tions is not obvious. Apparently It
had nothing TO 90 with the number Of
ships passing througG the danger zone,
for there has been no great difference
in the total for some time. nor does
the increase in the number of ships
carrying guns seem 10 nave any con-
nection.
Sixty Per Cent of Ships Armed
"Sr Joseph Maclay states that co
per cent Of our merchant vessels and
all ng-distance vessels are now
armed, and il might have been sup
posed that this would have led to more
ships escaping. On this point il is in
teresting to note that the Merchants
Association Of New York had appealed
n 70 ont
ships with guns of a type as TO cali
bre and range at least equal to those
carried by submarines.
"Bonar Law last night again re-
fused TO issue statistics Of the ton
mage losses. yet it is quite clear that
policy of frankness in regard to this
matter would satisfy the wishes OF
the country. At present the most
absurd statements on this point gain
credence, and will continue 10 do so
until authoritative figures are given.
A German paper is widely quoted as
asserting that enemy submarines sank
5,OO0. 600 tons in the last six months.
II has been shown here that a gener-
Gus estimate puts British losses at
about 1000, 900 tons and. taking Run
ciman's figures, about ,250,000 tons
might be added for the losses OF the
other Allies and the neutrals. The
Germans have, therefore. exaggerated
20 the extent Of nearly 100000 tons.
Lord Beresford was almost certainly
wrong when he said, as il was re-
ported. that since January we had lost
4. 600 900 tons. Even if all the ship
ping were included this would be over
estimated. but if the government will
not give the correct figures there is an
excuse for mistakes"
U-Boats Not Exposing Themselves
"The truth is bad enough in all con-
sciencc." says "The Manchester Guard
ian" "While one explanation OF the
small total Of attacks might be a re-
duction in time for the number OF
German submarines on service, the
high proportion Of successful to un-
successful attacks suggests as another
possible explanation: First, the in
creased difficulty in finding favorable
opportunities for attack, and second,
a great reluctance 20 attack unless the
opportunity is clearly favorable"