Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1917-09-13
DEVICE TO DETECT
U BOATS AT SEA
Hope to Locate Submarines
Ten Miles Away.
may ATTACK GERMAN BASES


rines Must Be Eliminated Before the
War Is Won-Undersea Explosive
| Has Played Large Part In Combat
ing the Menace.
! The navy departments twofold pro-
gram in this war, based partly upon
the prospect Of perfecting a device to
| detect submarines at ten miles, has
been outlined to the press.
| If the device is perfected-and the
best brains in this country are secretly
working on it day and night-ascordon
| of destroyers will bottle the u boats
at their base. If it is not a com
bined naval and aerial attack must be
made upon the German coast and the
occupied coast of Belgium. The sub
| marine, it is agreed, must be eliminate
ed before the war is won
Expect Success Soon.
| The general board feels that the pres
ent method of fighting the submarine
| u
it will never make the seas safe for
| merchantmen, no matter how we'll the
surface is controlled by the allied ma
| vies. Some success has been achieved
| with the mechanism of detecting sub
marines, but the invention has yet to
be perfected. Within the next few
months it is believed that the mechan-
zeal experts who are working on the
device will be able to report to the
navy department that it is ready for
| service.
In the event that this invention
| proves it's value as a detectOr over a
range of ten miles it is the purpose
of the American navy to establish a
line across the Skagerak, another
across the English channel and an
other across the North sea in front
of the German coast. Other lines of
detectors will be stretched across the
various waters where the submarines
operate.
The first consideration, however, will
be to get an underwater detection
across the channels used by the sub
marines in leaving and entering their
bases. When this is accomplished the
submarine fighters which are now at
tempting to pick up the submarines
will be drawn in solid line in con
| nection with the detectors.
Undersea Explosive.
When the underwater raiders at
tempt to leave their bases they will be
| spotted by the detectors. The surfa &c
| craft will then get a line on them, and
it is believed that it will be virtually
to the trade routes.
The detection invention represents
| the great scientific contribution which
the United States has been reported to
have in the making. Heretofore it's
| nature was never explained publicly.
| Already the United States navy has
had great success with the underwater
| explosive, which is dropped into the
! water and eXplOdes upon contact with
| the submersible. These will be used
extensively in the new campaign.
The general board of: the navy has
| under consideration terrific naval an(
aerial attack upon the German coast
and upon the coast of Belgium now
controlled by the Germans. The navy
experts believe that it would be in
advisable to attempt to make this at
| tack until thousands of aeroplanes are
! Io hi 10 to ho ION
This joint attack will have to await
the completion of the American aeria
fleet, and therefore it cannot be en-
gineered before next year. Naval eX
| perts realize that this attack, if sue.
cessful, would be extremely expensive
in life
The army and navy joint councils
are satisfied that it is hopeless at pres
ent to try to break through the west
ern line and that no successful attack
/ can be made until the German bases
! are destroyed and force is landed on
the German coast, Before this pro
| gram can be carried out they agree
that the submarine must be eliminated.
/ Since the United States entered the
war the younger naval officers have
urged the administration to suggest to
| Great Britain the ACCESSIBILITY Of max
| ing naval drive at the German coast
| to destroy the submarine base Vice
Admiral Sims, in command Of the
American naval forces in European wa
tiers, has reported that such an attack
would not be feasible at this time.
| Plans for a great naval engagement
have been worked out, but their con-
summation depends upon factors which
cannot now be brought into play.
At the present time the United States
has every available ship Of the minor
class in European waters assisting the
! British fleet in destroying submarines.
Just as rapidly as more ships are sent
down the ways they will be sent
abroad.
Sacrifice.
No action has been taken by Governor
Ar41,