The Washington times., 1917-08-11
Sims TELLSNAN
OF MEANS TOMEET
SUBMARINE Peril

Fast ships, well armed, with expert
gunners; modern destroyers patrol
ing beats As methodically as q police
man at night, and q different course
TO be followed by merchant ships on
each trip-these are the only immedi-
ate remedy for the submarine menace.
Vice Admiral Sims. commanding the
American overseas fleet, II the au-
thority for this statement A com
plete report by him dealing with the
operations OF his command, on file In
the Navy Department today, IL de-
elared by officials who have read it
to be "a most remarkable document"
It proves that the modern navy Is liv-
ing up to the traditions of the men
and ships which made this country "a
nous In years gone By.
PatroPs wsrk Excellent.
Pressure now is being brought To
bear on Secretary Of the Navy Dam
iels TO permit the publication of this
document It 10 likely that parts Of
II, at least. shortly will be released
for publication
Admiral Sims in his report tells of
the operation Of the American des-
troyerS against the submarines. They
have done excellent work. Some subs
INV g0Ua 1AhA- OAuGEB nave peen
driven back to their nests on the Bel
gian coast. Nearly q score Of ves-
sels, American and entente, have been
rescued BY the destroyers who have
responded to 8 o 8 slgnals by wire
less and reached the scene OF the at
tack In time to send the enemy scut-
tling below the waters, robbed OF
their prey.
Admiral Sims makes the nat deelara-
tion that the high speed. well-armed
American destroyers are keeping the
German submarines close to their
base. While he does not say so. off,
GERS of the navy who have studied the
situation declare that the manner in
which Sims has distributed his COM
mand Is the real reason why German
submarines have not attempted to
make q campaign on this side of the
ocean. They could get out all right,
officials say. but the Sims precautions
would not allow them to get back
without losses that at this time Ger
many Is not willing to experience.
Gunners Take Ne Chances
The operation Of the armed Amer
lean merchant ships also furnish .
wonderful story. This Il not dealt
with in detail by the Admiral, as
each Individual gunner commander
makes \ complete report to the De
partment at the conclusion OF each
round trip. These reports are with
held by the navy because the informa-
ton contained therein would be most
valuable to the German navy. 1t Is
revealing no secret. however, to say
that submarine attacks are far more
frequent than has been admitted
Hardly an American merchantmen
makes q round trip without a brush
with q submarine. The advantage,
however. Is all with the merchant
man. This is because a genera.
policy IL being followed by each
steamer captain From the timo
that he enters the danger zone his
craft Is kept at top speed, his
course Is laid In q zig rag mAnns-
and his gun crew Is ready to IRE at
the nrst suspicious object. Gun cap
tains frankly report firing on sub
merged pieces OF wreckage, floating
logs that resemble periscopes and the
like. And all make It plain that
they take no chances.
The result has been that the Ger
man submarines, for the most part,
have been unable to take observa-
tIons which would allow them to
make square hits with their torpe-
does. They have to sight in q hurry,
are, and Chen submerge. Hundreds Of
torpedoes have been lost In this
manner.
The accuracy of the Germans also
Is falling below par. It Is indicated
In the official reports that this Is due
to the sending OF crews to sea who
have not been fully trained. Most Of
the men who made submarine opera
tions their profession either have
been captured or sent to the bottom
with their vessels.