The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-12-22
ss1 SUMTER, s. G.. SATURDAY DECFMREP % 1o71
ALLIES OVERCOME SUBMARINE
BRITISH NAVAL EXPERT TELLS
OF ACHIEVEMENT.
Ships Now Being Built Faster Than
They are Sunk-Amcrica's Work
Helps.

New York. Dec. 19.-Arthur Pollen,
hritish naval expert, who has sailed
for Europe after spending six months
in the United States gave to the AS
sociated Press a statement in which
nc said that the campaign Of the al
lied navies against the submarine has
resulted In keeping the worlds ship
tonnage from showing monthly de-
crease or will soon do so. Mr. Pollen
gives credit for this success to the
change i'm the chief command carried
out by the British admiralty last
spring and the participation of the
American navy.
Mr.. Pollen pointed out, that six
months ago the German submarines
were causing q net attrition in the
worlds tonnage at TIE rate of nearly
20 per cent. annually. While the pres
ent rate of attrition Is difficult to
estimate, it was stated that last month
Great Britain launched as much ton
mage as she lost, and within the next
IL months substantial part of the
6.ooO,OOO tons provided for in this
country will undoubtedly be afioat.
Great Britain's shipbuilding pro-
gram will similarly increase month
by month, and moreover the cam
paign Of the allied navies against the
submarine will grow in value week by
week, he said.
The significance Of this to the for
tunes of war does not have to be
pointed out" Mr.. Pollen continued.
1T means that Germany's flank at
tack on allied communications has
failed and that there is no reason
why. ultimately. the full military pow
er of Great Britain, France and Italy
and more important of all the Unit
ed States should not be felt in the
Western theater OF war. This is a
tremendous result"
Speaking of the change in the chief
command in the British admiralty
Mr.. Pollen said:
In bringing about this new order.
OF things at Whitehall the reformers
were undoubtedly assisted, first, by
the fact that an extremely effective
well equipped and brilliantly COM
manded contingent Of American de-
stroyers was already at work in
very important area Of the theater Of
war and next by the British govern
ment waking up to the truth that
the belligerency of America meant
not only the cooperation Of n very
gallant and enterprising ally. but the
domestication, SO to speak, OF a new
and extremely intelligent critic"
Mr.. Pollen mentioned the conversa-
ton with the British admiralty OF
three distinguished and resourceful
American naval officers, Admirals
Sims. Mayo and Benson. Through
these men, american professional
knowledge" he said, has gained a
first hand experience OF the reality Of
war and has been able to contribute
upon the character of the operations
to he pursued and Of the methods of
command under which they should
be carried out. l can not doubt for
n moment that much of the improv-
ed efficiency of the counter campaign
Is due to this intellectual stimulus"
Mr.. Pollen paid tribute to Secretary
Daniels praising what he described
as the secretarys policy of obtaining
loyal team work by allowing the
forces under his orders to be direct
ed ''in strictly professional matters
according to the judgment and advice
Of the singularly able and efficient Of
ficers that. so to speak, form his
council OF war"
Reverting TO the recent North Sea
raid by German forces, Mr.. Pollen
said:
''The only remarkable things about
such incidents is not their occasional
occurrence. but their rarity. Were the
British or the American navy in the
position of the Germany navy fancy
they would be far more frequent"