The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-07-20
DEVICE TO NOTE
 SUBS 10. MILES OFF NAvY'S HOPE
If Mechanism Is Not Per fected, Attack Will Be
 on German Bases.

Washington, July 20.-The navy de- partnent's s two-fold program In thas war. passed partly upon the prospect
 .eserfecting a device to detect sub- ssarines at 10 miles. was outlined yes terday y
 fsx the device Is perfected d-arld the Hert brains in this country are secretly working on 1t day and night--a cor don of destroyers will bottle the. U boosts at their base. If 1t is not q combined naval and aerial attack must be made upon the German coast and the occupied coastof Belgium. The submarine 1t is agreed. must be elim- mated before the war is wonl
 The general board feels that the present method of fighting the subma- rine menace is merely makeshift, that sitSwill never make the seas safe for merchantmen no matter how well the szurface Is controlled by the allied navies. Some success hos been achiev- ed with the mechanism for detecting submarines. but the, Invention has yet to be perfected. Within the next few months it is believed that the mechan- ica1 experts who are working on the device will be able to report to the navy department that it is ready for service
 Tn the event that this invention proves It's value as detector over a range of ten miles. 1t is the purpose Of the. American navy to establish line across the Slager Rak, another across the English Channel and another across the North Sea in front of the German coast Other lines of detectors VIII be stretched across the various waters where the submarines operate
 The first consideration, howeveY, will be to get an underwater detection across the channels used by the sub- maripes in leaving and entering their bases When this Is accomplished the submarine fighters which are now att tempting to pick up the submarines will be drawn in a solid line in con nectjon with the detectors
 When the underwater raiders at tempt to leave their bases they; will De spotted by the detectors The surface craft will then get line on them. and it is believed that. 1t will be virtually impossible for them to make their way to the trade routes.
 The detection invention represents the great scientific contribution which the United States has been reported to have1 in the making, Heretofore It's nature was never explained pub 1icly. X x Ss- ..Ns
 Already the United States navy has had great success with the under water explosive. which is dropped into the water and explodes upon contact with the submersibfe. These will be used exclusively in the new cam paign-s ~
 The general board of the navy has under consideration terrific naval and aerial attack upon; the German coast and upon the coast of Belgium now contr oiled b9 the Germans. The navy experts believe that 1t would be inadvisable to attempt to make this attack until thousands of aeroplanes are available to carry out the cam paign.
 This joint attack will have to wait the compilation of the American aerial fleet, and therefore 1t cannot be en- eineered before next year. Naval ex- perts realize that this attack, if suc- cessful. would be extremely expensive in life.
 The army and navy joint councils are satisfied that it Is hopeless at present to try to break through the western line and that no successful 8kIack can pc maue uutil the German bases are destroyed and force Is landed on the German coast Be- fore this program 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 advisabilfty of making q naval drive at the German coast and destroy the submarine base. Vice Admiral Sims, in command of the American Naval forces in Europ- can waters, has reported that such an attack would not be feasible at this time. Plans for great naval en- gagement have been worked out, but their consumation depends upon fac tors which cannot now be brought in to play.f
 At the present time the United States has every available ship of the minor class in European waters as sisting the British fleet in destroying submarines Just as rapidly as more lhips are sent down the ways they rin be sent abroad
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 IT A WTr1TAT FLA nTTT