Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1918-03-07
NAVAL PENDULUM IS
SWINGING TO ALLIES
20 Slip backward la Sea
Achievements.
AMERICAN NAVY is PRAISED
Rendering Invaluable Service IN
War ON submarines, Mercan-
tile Losses slump

LONDON. TuesdaP, Mar, a--In-
PRODUCTION OF naval estimates In the
house OF commons today was made
the occasion by Sir Eric Campbell
Geddcs. first lord OF the admiralty
for n lengthy speech in witch he
summed up the naval situation dur
ing the past year. were received by
cable from London yesterday.
"On the whole. naval warfare
during the past year has proceeded
in.reaslnslv In our favor" said Sir
Eric. ut has continued chiefly 20
test the strength between the enemy
submarine and measures we and our
allns have taken for combating
that menace. There have been oc-
casionAl Interludes. such az the exit
OF the goeben and the Breslnu and
the recent rad OF enemy destroyera
on Dover patrol Occasional raids
on our conveys and the English
coast are a natural outcome of the
blockaded enemy trying TO harrass
tho blockadinR fleet.
The exit OF tho Goeben and the
BreslRu (from the Dardanelles) was
a raid Of similar character. The
0oeben was refloated, 20 and while the
reports Justify tho beliaf that sho
wss damaged we must for the pres
ent treat her as a still efficient en-
gine OF war. The loss OF tho Breslau
is q scrious ono for the enemy In
that area and much outweighs from
the military viewpoint the loss OF
our Raglan and MAS British mont
tors sunk during the engagement
with the Goeben and the Breslau
outside the Dardanellss.)
Dover strait Blockndcd.
The Dover raid Is In 4 way a salts
factory incident, II has been com
monty believed that the passage Of
submarines thru the straits OF Dover
have been prevented by nots and
obstructions since the early days Of
the war. That In not true and un-
doubtedly n considerable number OF
submarines passed thru. even to-
wards the end OF last year. A more
vigorous policy was adopted re-
Gently and the surface barrier In
now maintained day and night
across the channel. Al night patroll-
ing craft numbering over one hun
dred burn flares, 80 that any sub
marine attempting the passage has
q reasonable chance OF being en-
gagged.
ITO raid this barragc. the enemy
came out on the night Of February
II. / cannot comment on the incl.
dent because the admiral at fa1ver
has ordered q court-martial 10 eluci-
date H. but can pay tribute 10 the
heroism and devotion OF tho men
who. after being hammered by the
war ships. maintained their patrol
and went out again the next morn
ing and ,ver since Everything pos
sibis iS being done to protect them.
might raids OF this kind can al
ways be undertaken by determined
enemy and are tribute 10 efficiency
OF tho work OF the barraEe
I'm previous statements I dealt
with the naval situation IN home
waters. That is not due 10 "A lack
or appreciation OF the importance Of
the other theatres. including the
NJ MedItcrranean"
subs worst In Mediterranean.
Sir Eric alluded at this point 20
the fact that the waters around the
British Isles had been the enemys
chief field for submarine operations
and that with American holp the
CONTINUED ON PAGE Five.