Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-08-21
j. S. PLANS GREAT HOST
OF U-BOAT DEsTROYERs
Output of Submarines Worst
Enemy Will Be Doubled
or TrebIed

WASHINGTON. Aug 20.-Immediate
Expansion of building facilities of the
United States to double or treble the
output of destroyers during the next
eighteen months was the object of a
conference today between Secretary
Daniels sand representatives of twenty
five or more ship and engine builders.
IF we get what we want" the secre-
tary said, the United States will have
more destroyers than any other power.
They are the one thing a submarine
fears"
The secretary indicated that all the
destroyers the builders could produce
would be ordered. Every effort of tie
department will be laid upon speeding
up the large number of contracts now
pending.
Every aspect of ship-building that
bears upon destroyer production was
taken up at the conference. There is
no shortage of material or plant facili-
ties, but a difficulty lies in obtaining
high power engines, boilers and re-
Iduction gear.
Secretary Daniels said no additional
submarine chasers would be ordered at
present. The chasers are valuable for
harbor and inshore patrol work, but
the deStroyers are far superior even
for these duties and have in addition
seagoing qualities which make them of
far greater value in all ways than the
small chasers.
| Every suggestion that the ship or
engine builders had to make today as
to additional motive power for the de-
lstroyers was given close attention. The
possibility of making some of the new
vessels with oil engines was among
the suggestions offered.
AS to the plants at which the new
destroyers will be laid down, Secretary
daniels said he favored expansion of the
plants now building destroyers as the
most efficient means of speeding up.
Experience gained In previous building
will enable such plants to turn out new
ships more quickly. it is felt, than would
be possible for a new plant, lacking
that experience.
Secretary Daniels decision shows that
the officers who have been contending
that the best answer to the U-boat was
to turn out an enormous number of de-
| stroyers, have carried their point The
experience of all allied navies that the
destroyer is more deadly to submarines
than any other type of craft is borne
out by reports from Vice Admiral
Sims, founded on the actual experience
of American destroyers in European
waters.
| Another aspect is the problem of fur
nishing conveys to troops and supply
ships which will grow as American
forces in France are increased Many
officers now believe that destroyer con-
voys guarantee a large degree of secur-
ity from submarine attack. The thing
| needed, in their view, is an adequate
number of destroyers to hake 1t certain
that supply lines are not interrupted
The department apparently has approx
ed this view,
/ No figures have ever been made public
of the number of destroyers now build
ing. Secretary Daniels said today. how
ever. that they represent the maximum
capacity of the country as the builders
and engine and boiler makers at pres
ent equipped To expend that capacity
will require the expansion of every ex-
listing plant and the addition of new en-
CINE. and boiler works