New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-17
.Jellicoe Wants
American Craft
To Kill U-Boats

sistance Is Needed in
the War Zone
London, April 16.-Admiral SIR John
<. Jellicoe, former commander OF the
British grand fleet and now First Sea
Lord, informed The Associated Press
during the course of an interview to-
day that anything and everything In
the way Of small craft, from destroyers
10 tugs, would be the most useful con-
tribution which the United States could
make to the war against German SUBJ
marines. In this connection the First
Sea Lord asserted that the best hunt
ing ground for raiders is on this side
Of the water, as the possibility Of Ger
man submarines operating on the
American coast is almost negligible
unless they nave base on that side.
81 have no desire to minimize to the
American people," said the admiral
"the serious situation prevailing as
result Of the illegal use Of submarines
by the Germans. Neither is 1t easy
for us 20 take them into our confidence
and tell them what we are doing to
cope with the evil without providing
the Germans with useful information
mo methods existed in the past for
fighting the submerged submarine, and
the new inventions and processes for
that purpose take time TO develop. We
are giving your navy all the informa-
ton in our possession, and, knowing
its record, We have great confidence
that American inventive genius will
supplement Il with valuable contribu-
tions.
Require American Wheat
"As far as the feeding Of the Allied
populations is concerned our efforts
must be concentrated on saving ton
mage, while bringing IN the necessary
supplies, in order TO minimize the oi-
feet of the submarine warfare. As you
probably know, we have bought large
quantities of wheat IN Australia. but
as the round voyage takes four times
as long as that to America. the bring
ing of this wheat takes four times as
much tonnage es the carrying Of Ameri-
can wheat to the Allied powers. We
thererequire all the wheat we can OBJ
tain from America and Canada.
"Our food situation is by no mcars
as desperate as the Germans want to
believe it is but on the other hand, ~
is more serious than many Of our own
people realize. Our own shipping suf-
fered very little more in March than
during the first month of unrestricted
submarine warfare, and other tonnage
sunk during the period was in much tn
same position. and there is no very
marked method OF combating the evil.
What has been accomplished is the
result of inventions and processes which
take time 10 develoi . and the govern
ment is well aware or the fact that i'm
mediate results could not be expected.
Armed Ships Hamper UBoats
"The increasing armament OF our
merchant marine has made submarines
far more cautious, and more sub
merged attacks are taking place. o:
course. this has one advantage. mas
much as the raiders must depend upon
their torpedoes for such attacks. and,
being able to carry only limited num-
Der, must return TO port sooner than
when they made their attacks from the
surface.
Your Navy Department knows just
how many submarines we have sunk,
hut the exact number Of U-bOats which
have actually never returned 20 port is
known only to the German Admiralty.
which, naturally, does not give us this
information.
Against a submerged attack host
of small craft forms the best protec-
tion. We can use everything from de-
stroyers 20 tugs OF any size. The dan
ger of showing "A periscope when the
submarine may have a bomb dropped on
il. or be rammed, is one which our
enemy does not like 10 face. But these
craft must be used in the zone where
submarines operate. and such zone Is
hardly likely 20 be extended 20 the
American coast.
German submarines cannot operate
over there effectively without a base,
and | am sure that your magnificent
navy will have no trouble in patrolling
the Mexican Gulf coast, on which a
base might exist, while the entrance of
Cuba into the war on the side OF the
Allies deprives the Germans Of the best
place they might have secured for such
bases.
Mine Layers Chief Peril Here
II have already warned your Navy
/ Department that submarine mine lay
ers may visit your coast, dump their
cargo and return. But the damage they
! do will not prove extensive, as each
boat carries only about thirty mines.
| These mine layers have dropped their
/ mines everywhere about our coast, and
+ IL had the exact figures at hand OF the
number We have swept up and de-
stroyed you would be astonished.
"It cannot be denied that naval
strategy has undergone vast change
as the result OF the illegal use by Ger
many Of submarines. or course, IL il
! also undeniable that their use legiti-
mately has changed naval warfare. But
the legitimate change is not so great
nor so difficult TO cope with az the
illegal use OF submarines. Their ad-