The Washington times., 1917-02-03
SEARCH CARIBBEAN
FOR U-BOAT BASE
Investigating to Ascertain
Where Submarines Are
Getting Fuel.
SEARCHED CAROLINA COVE
Neutral Tanker Believed to Be
Supplying Unknown Teu-
ton Haven.
SEARCHED CAROLINA COVE

A systemic investigation mas Deen
! started by American Government
officials, it was learned today from
an authoritative quarter, for the pur-
pose of finding out where the Ger
man submarines believed to be op-
Grating off the coast of South Amer
ica are obtaining their supply of
fuel oil and provisions.
Naval experts who have been con-
suited have expressed the conviction
that the only possible sources of the
oil supply are in the oil fields OF
| Tampico, Mexico, or in the United
States, American or other neutral
tank ships are suspected OF being the
medium through which oil is convey
ed to the submarines. Naval off
GERS are also convinced that one or
more German submarines bases are
being maintained on some out-of-the
way island in the Caribbean Sea-
German OIL Properties.
It is known that German interests
control considerable oil deposits near
Tampico where the principal British
supply is also located. 1t is realized,
however. that these German owned
fields would be of no use to the
German submarines unless ships
could be obtained to transport the
supply, and 1t is realized also that
the only facilities for transporting
it would be those afforded by Amer
ican or neutral ships, there being
no German merchant vessels available
for the purpose.
While all ships taking on oil at
any port are supposed to get clear
I fAr hnffntNa
destination, 1t is suspected that some
of these are stopping at some secret
base and there depositing some of
their oil cargo. Mexican port author
\ tiles of easy conscience, II is sus-
pected, are certifying, for a consid-
| Grafton, to short" car goes where as
| in fact the vessels under suspicion
may be clearing with full cargoes.
In this way, II is pointed out, the
vessels could dispose OF part OF their
oil enroute without there being a dis
crepancy between the amount OF the
cargo certified to at the point OF
departure and the amount deposited
at the final port of destination
Navy Department Probe.
Recently an exhaustive inquiry was
made by the Navy Department con-
cerning the island of Curacoa, of the
northern coast of Venezuela, informa-
tion having been received that ba9e
had been established there. The In
land is out of the sea lanes, and would
be ideal, it is stated for such pur-
pose. In ordinary times it is unin-
habited
At the time the inquiry was made
officials in Washington had been IN
I haN he aF11h A FF1o
Steamship Company, which maintains
large docking facilities and a high
powered wireless station on the ~
land of St. Thomas, in the Danish
West Indies, was preparing with the
transfer OF the Danish possessions to
the United States. to move TO Curacao.
As far as officials here have been able
to ascertain, the reports are without
foundation.
Big Coal supply.
In addition to enormous docking IA
cilities at St Thomas island, 1t was
explained today, the Hamburg-Ameri-
can line maintains there an enormous
supply OF coal. Ever since the out
break of the war, IL was stated, ef-
| forts have been made by the steam
| ship company to get permission from
| the Danish government to use the
wireless station as a means OF COM
municating with Germany. The per
mission was refused, and the appa-
ratus sealed by the Danish officials.
1t is no secret in the inner circles in
Washington that the ideal facilities
offered at st. Thomas for a naval base,
and the possibility that Germany, in
/ the event of war with the United
] ErrIN 49, -
settle with Denmark, proved an hnpeI-
ling motive for the purchase OF the
islands by the United States. Since
the negotiations for the purchase got
under way the islands have been kept
under more or less surveillance BY
the American navy.
Even Dragged Cove.
Another inquiry by officials here was
directed towards a small cove in Port
Royal sound on the coast Of South Caro-
| lima. So circumstantial were the reports
received to the effect that German sub
marines were fuel.ing there from large
oil tanks submerged in the cove, that a
naval vessel. 1t became known today,
was actually sent there and the cove
dragged for days in an effort to find out
whether any such tanks we're there. The
/ effort proved fruitless.
That officials Of some Of the big oil
companies Of the United States are par
| ties to the secret OF Germany's oil sup
ply on this side of the Atlantic, is the
| firm conviction Of many officials. II is
| known, too, that some Of them have
been questioned. but without success.
PerpIexInG Problem.
While IT is stated that the conquest Of
| Rumania and certain parts Of Russia by
the German forces placed at the dis
posal OF Germany oil fields OF sufficient
extent to supply the submarines operat-
ing in the new German war zone, It is
regarded as inconceivable that any OF
| this supply could be transported across
1 the Atlantic from a German port and
regularly supplied to the submarines
that have been operating in the South
Atlantic.
/ EnH nEItc IN HIIInE rnIInICTc