New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-02
.U-Boat Problem
Still Unsolved,
Says Jellicoe
Sea Lord Declares Submarine
Must Be Mastered Be-
fore Germany Quits
Ruthless Campaign
Not a Success
Americans Given Credit for
Part in Reducing Sink
ing of Ships

London, Aug Admiral Sir John
R. Jellicoe, First Sea Lord and Chief
Of the Naval staff, in an interview
with The Associated Press to-day dis
cussed the submarine menace and the
naval situation at the end of the third
year Of the war.
you ask me TO say something OF
the submarine menace he began. II
is serious because all the Allied armies
and civil population are, in varying
degrees, dependent on sea transport.
but, viewed broadly. the recourse by
the Germans to this form of piracy is
encouraging. They did not adopt 1t
until they had los; nope in the victory
Of their armies. They did not risk
drawing the United States into the war
and concentrating on themselves the
loathing of all other neutral states un-
Ill they were convinced that they could
not float a keel on the worlds seas ana
by legitimate means interfere with the
growth Of the military strength OF 'he
Allies.
For three years naval power has
been in process of translation into mill
tary power. The Germans IN despera-
tion decided TO embark upon ruthless
submarine warfare in the confident pc
lief that it would prove fatal stroke
In February, according to their own
confession, IL was the best ana ohly
means of a speedy and victorious emu
ing of the war. - rrIv
have passed and their early hcpes are
still unrealized.
Have Not Mastered U-Boat
"The Germans have not mastered US,
but. on the other hand, we have not
mastered the submarine. We have not
vet discovered the effective antldote::
But we have reduced the losses OF
merchant shipping.
There is no reason to doubt that the
Germans have at sea lately lar
larger number of submarines tnan III
February and March, but, nevertheless,
with the invaluable assistance when
America has rendered, we have pre-
verted them from reaping the harvest
which they anticipated.
How long the German population
will live on hopes deferred | canno'
profess to say, but they must reaiile
that the prophecy Of February, rest
ing on official authority that the SUBJ
marine was the best and only means
Of a speedy and victorious ending OF
the war has not been fulfilled
After pause, Admiral Jelilcoe went
on gravely:
81, cub InTnqu69
the utmost effort on the part OF all the
countries which have joined forces 20
defeat Germany. She has sctaked ner
defeat ermany. She has staked her
all on the submarine, and if we defeat
il her last hope will have gone.
Allies Needs at Present
"The two urgent needs of the moment
are more patrol ships for hunting down
submarines and an increased output OF
merchant shipping so that the losses
suffered at sea may be made good Inc
war has become one of economic endur-
ance. With the powerful aid which the
United States is rendering IN making
the naval blockade effective. Germanys
condition must become worse week oy
week. She will hold out so long as
there is the faintest hope OF the sue
cess of the submarine warfare. Once
its failure is demonstrated. the Ger
man people, whatever may be the case
with the German government, will re-
ognize that defeat stares them in the
face.
at is therefore vitally important that
every effort be concentrated on destroy.
ing what the Prime Minister, Mr. Lloyd
George, calls the 'bacilli Of the seas.
We must and shall defeat it, but, in or
der to do so, the inventive and con-
structive energy of all the nations
fighting Germany must be devoted to
the work and to the rapid building OF
patrol ships and merchantmen. II that
is done. ! have no doubt OF the issue.