South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-05-04
Naval Officials Cite Recent
Sinking of Vacuum and
Rockingham, Both of
Which Were Slow.
FAST VESSELS MUST BE
USED TO BREAK MENACE
Experts Suggest Embargo be
Placed on All Food Going
to Neutral Countries
of Europe.
International News Service:

International News Service:
WASHINGTON, May 4. Naval
officials. who are following closely
the development of the German
submarine menace, are taking the
position that wooden ships will not
in themselves solve the plan to pre-
vent starving out Europe. They be-
lieve these vessels will be too slow
and they base this belief on the re-
cent sinking of the Vacuum and the
Rockingham. both slow craft. In
each instance the armed crew was
worthless for the defense of the yes
sci simply because there was no
chance to use the guns.
The wooden fleet is planned to
have a speed of 10 knots an hour.
The present type Of German sub
marine can make at least II knots
an hour submerged and can main
tain that speed for an hour and a
half when it must come to the sur
face TO recharge batteries. The
sinking of the Vacuum and the
\ Rockingham. il is now believed
here, was due to the fact that the
oubliAAA AlAt NcliAAC ~ NAit sui law wei
off from them. possibly 30 miles.
and took a complete observation Of
the course of the vessel of her
speed. etc. Then. submerging, the
submarine travelled a certain dis
lance. took another look, verified
the course and submerged again. IL
was then just a question of steering
by the compass and when at the
proper angle, taking a brief glance
through the periscope and dis
charging the torpedo in perfect
safety from the gun crew.
Use informed Ships.
The naval officials who are in
vestig tting the submarine problem
are convinced that the way 70 break
down the menace is to utilize in the
trans-ocean traffic all fast vessels
available and to divert into their
| places in the coastwise and South
American traffic the slow vessels and
the first of the wooden ships TO be
built. The placing into service of
the German and Austrian vessels,
most of which will be ready in a
few months. will greatly aid in
solving the problem. It is expected
| that suggestions now being worked
out by various experts will be sub
mitted TO the shipping board and
/ the strategy experts of the navy
very soon. These suggestions. made
/ entirely with a view 20 multiplying as
much as possible the submarine
menace. will provide:
M IL oil
| food going TO neutral countries, es-
pecially Norway, Sweden. Denmark
and Holland and only a sufficient
amount be permitted TO be sent
/ there 10 serve their own people. IL
already mas been proved that much
of the food sent 10 Scandinavia, even
under present restrictions, gets TO
/ Germany.
Send no ships 10 England that
/ cannot make at least Is knots.
Spread out the trade routes as
much as possible and divert the
slower vessels TO French and Ital-
ian ports.
Utilize all slow ships for coast
wise South Atlantic and Pacific
trade and use every vessel Of that
kind that now can make Is knots
in the European trade.
Put all large merchant vessels in
command or naval officers or al
least make the naval officer supreme
in command with full authority 70
act within the danger zone.
Change the engine plans Of the
standardized wooden ships TO pro-
vide for them 10 make at least il
knots