The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1917-12-20
BOTTOMS BUILT
NOW STABILIZE
SUB-SEA TOLLS
British Production of Ships Now
Equals Losses Sustained
in War Zone.
EXPERT STRIKES BALANCE
America and England Soon Will
Far 0utstrip in Tonnage
Made Tonnage Torpedoed.

New York, Dec. 20.-Arthur Pollen
the British naval expert, who sailed
for Europe after spending six months
In the United States gave to the AS
ISOLATED Press statement in which
he said that the campaign of the al.
lied navies against the submarine, has
at last resulted in keeping the worlds
ship tonnage from showing monthly
decrease, or soon will do so. Mr.. Pol
len gives credit for this success to
the change in the chief command
carried out by the British admiralty
last spring and the participation of
the American navy.
Mr.. Pollen pointed out that six
months ago the German submarines
were causing net attrition in the
worlds tonnage at the rate of nearly
rs per cent annually, While the pres
ent rate Of attrition is difficult to es.
innate, it appeared that last month
Great Britain launched as much ton.
mage as she lost; the first ship laid
down by the United States since the
war has been launched, and, within
the next twelve months, substantial
portion of the six million tons provid-
ed for in this country will undoubtedly
be afloat. Great Britain's shipbuild-
ing program will similarity increase
month by month and moreover, the
campaign of the allied navies against
the submarine will grow in value
week by week, he said.
cernany's Attack Fails. !
'The significance of this does not
have to be pointed OUT, Mr.. Pollen
continued. 1T means that Germany's
attack on allied communications had
failed and that there is no reason why
ultimately the full military power of
Great Britain, France and Italy and
the United States should not be felt
in the western theatre of war. This
is tremendous result"
Speaking OF the change in the chief
command in the British admiralty,
Mr.. Pollen said: n,@ !
I'm bringing about this new order
Of things at Whitehall, the reformers
were undoubtedly assisted, first, by
the fact that an extremely effective,
well Equipped and brilliantly COM
AAuAlCu COAIAA6CuC VI 1aAACAlCebA uC-
stroyers was already at work in a
very important area of the theater of
war, and next by the British govern
ment waking uplto the truth that the
belligerency OF America meant not
only the cooperation of very gal
liant and enterprising ally, but the
domesticatiOn, so to speak, of new
extremely intelligent critic" =,
Naval Consultation.
Mr.. Pollen mentioned the consu1ta-
lions with the British admiralty of
three distinguished and resourceful
American naval Observation-Disclosures
sims, Mayo and Benson. Through
these men, American professional
knowledge he said, has gained a
first hand experience of the reality
of war and has been able to contribute
an impersonal and impartial judgment
upon the character Of the operations
to be pursued and of the methods Of
command under which they should be
carried out"
Adverting to the recent North Sea
raid by German forces, Mr.. Pollen
said:
1.-THE only remarkable thing about
such Incidents is not their occasional
occurrence, but their rarity. Were the
British or the American navy in the
position of the German navy l fancy }
they would be far more frequent" i