The Washington herald., 1917-12-28
NAVY
PREPARESFOR
U-BOAT HUNT
Year 1918 Expected to Be
Busiest on Sea Since
War Began.
By FRANK w. GETTY
Special Cable to Washington Herald
and New York Tribune.

-
and New York Tribune.
London, Dec. T.-The British navy,
from fleet commander to cabin boy. is
now looking forward to 1918 as a year
Of action, under the leadership of the
aggressive Vice Admiral Wemyss.
Unquestionably it will be a year of
greater offensive activity than any
preceding. particularly against the
submarine.
The greater part of the navy Is con-
fident, in fact, that when the spring
brings increased aggressiveness on
the part Of the U-boat 1t will also set
the stage for the final step in wip-
ing the sea free from these pests.
U-Beat Toll High.
Meanwhile, those who do not know
the admiralty's secret for destroying
submarines (all know is it Is a COM
bination of many different devices and
practices) only see that the weekly
toll of allied shipping remains high.
in spite of the short days and the
limiting Of the U-boat's daily period
of activity.
However, IL Is encouraging to
know that this months bag of SUBJ
marines already compares favor
ably with that of November. with
another weeks figures yet to come.
Between 110 and lis would not be
a bad guess for the total number
of submarines captured or sunk al
ready. 1t Is against the submarines.
OF course, that the coming naval
offensive will be particularly di-
rected. Naturally, 1t is still impos-
sible to get at the German high
feet from the sea. although 1t can
be done from the air.
Conveys will receive greater pro-
lection next year: although IL the
public. which Is still ranting
against the admiralty over the
sinking Of the convoy in the North
Sea iast~week. only realised the
facts they would see that the won
der is not that the Germans have
been occasionally successful. but
j that such things have not happen
ed oftener. Critics of the navy who
, point to Britain's supremacy on the
seas as an argument that such
raids should not De permitted, for
get one thing.
The length of Haig's line in
France and Flanders is roughly $50
miles. Admiral Beatty's line is
more than q thousand miles in
length. When the Germans. under
cover Of mist and darkness, sneak
from: a nearby base in a quick dash,
get into a convoy and return safe
ly, everyone jumps at the admiral
ty. But when the Germans, on a
dark night on some portion OF the
battle front, raid a British front
/ line trench. Haig's immediate dis
missal is not demanded nor is an
inquiry called for.
Reserves Plentiful
1t is not true to say that 1t is i'm
| Possible for Haig to prevent such
raids, for he could IL he put all his
reserves into the front-line trenches.
He is numerically superior to the
enemy, so he could prevent raiding.
but naturally such is not the mode Of
warfare.
The same thing applies to the navy
Beatty could call upon his reserves.
| In the shape of the grand fleet, and
| never lose a convoy. but certainly no
one would suggest such a move when
he considered that 1t would mean the
end of the maritime menace Britain
holds. over. Germany's head Until
the day when the German high seas
fleet dares to venture out beyond the
Blight of Helgoland. the British navp
must have its reserve ready.