New Britain herald., 1917-08-02
NORTH SEA IN GRIP
 OF BRITISH FLEET
Adm. Jellcoe Explains Frequent Raids Of German DeStroyerS

London, Aug. 2.-"The British navys control of the North Sea system of the maritime communications of the world at this juncture is more complete than the control exercised by the army of the Central powers on land,' said Admiral Sir John Jellicoe sea lord and chief of the naval staff, if an interview with the Associated Press yesterday in which he discussed the submarine menace and the naval situation at the end of the third year of the war. That" he said. "sug- gests perhaps train of thought which American students of the war might pursue with interest and ad- vantage to the Allied cause. But I afn content at this moment merely to emphasize the supreme importance of the work which the grand fleet Is do ing under the command of Sir David Beatty.
 You ask me how 1t is that German destroyers are able to carry out raids from time to time. Such actions are entrusted to swiftest vessels under the German ensign and they are carried out with every advantage on the side of the Germans. The North Sea is a very big area of water. It is more than twice as large as the whole Unit ed Kingdom-Engalnd, Scotland, Ire land and Wales-which is traversed by nearly 24,OOO miles of railway lines.
 ''The German destroyers wait for dark and then dash off from one of the bases situated within an hour or two of steaming of the the British coast. They have the choice of an oh ct Sf i'm of length. There is hardly point but is undefended, advantage having been taken of the immunity from bam- bardment which international law was believed before the war to con- fer.
 Now mark these points: The en- emy has the choice of nights when the weather and visibility are most suit able for his purpose. He puts to sea clear of his mine fields. He can steam in northerly westerly or souterly di- rection. Air craft are used for re- connaisance so as to gain information of the movement of the British patrol forces. The Germans have the fur 'ther advantage of being able to fire at every aircraft which comes within sight the moment it is sighted.
 What is the position of the British patrol whose vigilance has been sub- jected to three years of unceasing strain? Officers have many duties to ca4ry out quite apart from punishing the tip and run raids. They never know when the enemy ships will break out or where they will speed, and in the dr<ness they have to dis criminate between friend and neutral on the one hand and foe on the other before they fire.
 Despite the advantages which the Germans enjoy no raid has resulted In the slightest military gain to Ger many or loss to Great Britain.
 I've deplore the loss of lifc among non-combatants but after all we are engaged in a war upon which depends the freedom of the world and we can- not defect our strategy from it's main purpose That is what the Germans hope to effect and they have failed.
 '"Ths leads me to say few words IS to the destroyars and submarine bases which are on the Belgian coast. One is Ostend, tha other is Zeebrusge. Yhe Germans have applied to this length of sand-frinyed coast the same principle of intensive fortification adopted higher up on the North sea and the island of Helgoland. The coast line is studded with heavy guns which in themselves constitute in anitesimal ta gets at a raDge of more lhap 20.o00 yards on which any bombardment could be carried out
 Moreover. the enemy has not been slow to make fullest use of aircraft md smoke screens by way of protec- ion. Ostend offers the best target, put 1t can only be attacked at rare in-