The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1918-06-06
DANGER
FROM SUB BOATS
ENEMY UNABLE TO MAINTAIN
REGULAR CAMPAIGN.
PREPARATIONS TO FIGHT THEM
Navy Department Has Been On Guard
Against Raids Since the Transport
President Lincoln Was Sunk
Last Week.

| Washington, d. c., June Aft the
, German admiralty expects to find the
American ports unprotected because
of great force of American destroyers
, has been concentrated in the war zone
around the British Isles, it will be
mistaken, naval officials say.
While the antisubmarine craft in
the war zone are in large number the
protection of the steamer lanes on
this side of the Atlantic has not been
overlooked and it is said there are
adequate forces in home waters to
meet any emergency.
Il Attempt to Blockade Port.
The torpedoing Of ships off Barn
gat, N. j., followed by the report OF
more distinctions off Nantucket
shoals, nearly 200 miles TO the east
was taken as an indication that the
plan of the German admiralty prob
ably was to concentrate the U-boats
in a practical blockade of the prin-
cipal ports of embarkation being used
for American transports.
All Sorts of Rumors Afloas.
Recurrent reports of German sub
marines on this side Of the Atlantic
have been examined by the navy de-
partment during the last week. Report
of one German submarine near the
Virginia capes were current in Hamp-
ton Roads Saturday night.
! 1t was said navy flying boats, sub
marine chasers and other antisub-
marine craft in that district hurried
| to sea in search of the raiders.
Reported Firing at Submarine.
| The master of a British vessel ar
irving at Norfolk on May q, reported
having fired some shots at submarine
about $50 miles off Cape Henry. 9th
er incoming ships at Atlantic ports for
the last few days also have brought re-
ports of sighting submarines.
Navy officers Are Silent.
Pending receipt of official inform
alton, navy officials withheld their
comment. 1t is known, however, that
increased vigilance has been eXer-
cised along the coast since the sink
ing of the transport President Lin
coin. That ship was torpedoed so far
at sea that the incident suggested the
presence of cruiser submarines, in
which case efforts to check the move
ment of American troops at the source
were to be expected.
The navy department has heard
rumors for months of great new Ger
man U-boats, so large that they could
operate efficiently even across the
Atlantic and without re-fueling places
on this side, but no definite contirma-
ton has ever been received.
Extensive Preparation Made.
Extensive provision against possible
submarine. operations on this side nave
characterized the navys war efforts
from the start The 110-foOt submar-
inc chasers were really built for the
protection of shipping on the Ameri-
can coast. Sent abroad as an expert
ment when the German U-boat STRAIT
egg confined operations to the North
Sea and the British coasts, they proved
so useful that the type is being COPIED
here for the French government.
NAVY OFFICIALS ali diOieo 49,
pressed confidence that they would
, be able to cope with such German T.
boats as might reach the Atlantic
coast. Until full details of the sing
,ings already reported are received
it cannot be said whether they
now have to deal with a single raid
err or with a organized attempt to
bottle up American troop ships on
this side while the great battle is be-
ing fought out in France.
Expect only Few Raiders.
Many navy officers have considered
it highly improbable that Germany
could put more than few raiders
into such service. To maintain a
definite patrol off the whole American
coast would require an Impossible
number of submarines in constant op'
Grafton, they say, no matter how big
they might be.