The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1917-05-01
SERIOUS MENACE,
NOT IRRESISTIBLE
Admiral de Chair Talks of Submarine
Campaign.-To be Overcome Yet
British Sailor Gives Interesting
Facts About U.bOats' Activities.

washington, April 26.-Rear Ad-
miral Sir Henry R. S. De Chair, the
veteran naval officer OF Great Bit
aims war commission to the United
States, gave group of Washington
newspaper correspondents today
first hand story of some of his ex-
periences during the two years ne
commanded patrol fleet chasing
German submarines. Without mini
mizing the gravity of the submarine
menace, he confidently predicted that
it would be overcome
The admiral said a German SUBJ
marine campaign on the American
coast would not be profitable from
the German point of view without eA-
tensive supply bases On this side He
smoke of the memorable lessons the
allies had learned in the war, ana salo
he and his colleagues had come u
nlace them at the disposal OF the
American government.
81 only wish" he said, that coula
tell YOU the number of German sup-
marines that we have sunk. UnIor-
tunately, however, that is a naval
secret. as also are the means OF de-
lection of submarines and OF comoat-
ting them. Your navy has been 1ur-
nished with full details, however, Dy
the present mission
Of the prospect Of submarines ap-
nearing in American waters, Admlral
De Chair said:
"It would not pay Germany to IN
augurate a general submarine cam
naign off the American coast unless
she would also establish bases mere.
Each submarine carries from elgnt
tn ten torpedoes, besides a limited
fuel supply which would largely pe
wasted in the long trip over and Dach'
not to mention the warm reception
she would probably receive.
Working at High Speed.
Nobody knows exactly no" many
submarines the Germans are Dullolns'
but we know they are working at
feyerish speed and have hearo re-
norts that they are turning out IRON
two to three week.
"The crew of submarine as rule
requires from six weeks 70 TWO
months training, but the officers ana
other experts require at least tnree
months.
"The. best defense against sub
marines we have found is the armed
ship. During the early days they en-
tirely veered away. from such vessels
and even now only attack them sub
merged, when it is necessary to waste
a torpedo, which can often be dodgea,
and to expose the submarine itself To
destruction. We have found that they
are very much disconnected if all
armed ship turns OF them direct ana
tries to run them down.
might attacks by submarines are
not especially to be feared as 1t IS
nearly as easy for a vessel to see a
submarine as it is for a submarine
to sea level. usually they run on
the surface at night charging their
batteries and leave behind them a
plain phosphorescent wake, as does
a torpedo fired at night. Sometimes,
of course, they catch the loom OF d
ship on the sky line TO great aoVdn-
tage. 1t is at night only that they
have an opportunity to rig up their
small wireless devices to receive Or
ders from home.
Chasers not Popular.
Submarine chasers are very valu-
able as they are fast and especially
unpopular with the undersea boats. A
3-pound gun is effective if it strike
the vessels shell, but where the sub
marine is submerged 4-inch gun IS
desirable to break down the armored
coming towers. Submarines, we
know, are carrying 4-inch guns them
selves and some are reported to be
carrying s. and 6-inch guns. Their