New-York tribune., 1918-05-14
Kaiser, Beaten
AT Sea, Plans
Super-U-Boat
Heavily Armored Subma.
rine Designed to Meet
Menace Of Destroyers

WASHINGTON, May 13.-Realizing
that America and the Allies have
gained the mastery over the, present
type of submarine, Germany now is
said to be planning new series of
big U-boat cruisers, with which she
hopes to again assume the advantage
in her unrestricted under water war
fare.
Announcement of the new German
scheme is made by Georges Leygues,
the French Minister of Marine, in an
interview received here to-day in an
official dispatch from France. No de-
tails regarding the new U-boats were
given by NJ. Leygues. but from in
formation from other sources it ap
pears that the cruiser submarines will
be heavily armed and armored, and
will be designed especially to meet the
menace of the topedo boat destroy
ers, which have proved so effective in
hunting down the smaller submarines
now in operation.
M. Leygucs declared that the Allies
are ready to meet Germany's new ef-
forts, and that they will not rest upon
the "fine results obtained" in the past.
Plan to Clean Up Seas
"We shall not STOP" he said, until
we have cleaned up the. sea as one
cleans ur trench"
Just how effective has been the war
against the U-boats is shown by figures
on destruction of Allied shipping given
to the Naval Committee of the French
Chamber of Deputies Saturday by Min
lister Leygues. They reveal that sink
ings of merchantmen have fallen off to
the point where new construction is ex-
ceeding the destruction even now, be-
fore American yards are in full swing
On the great building programme
mapped out by the Shipping Board.
The monthly average of distinctions
$4,000 tons, compared with more than
100000 tons monthly in 1917. In April
of last year the tonnage sunk was 871,-
900. In April of this year it had di-
minished to about 268,000.
On the other hand, the destruction
of submarines is exceeding their con-
s.ruction by the enemy, and the margin
is expected, to increase as additional
American destroyers, which now are be-
ing turned out rapidly, take their place
with the war craft operating in the war
zone.
The total of Allied shipping destroyed
in the first four months of 1918 was
placed by Minister Leygues at 1,262,345
tons, and even if the submarines are
able to maintain this rate, which Off
cials doubt, the years total would be
something like 100000 tons, or less
than the estimated amount of tonnage
which the Shipping Board believes that
America alone will produce during the
year.
Adding to American production the
output in Great Britain, France and
Japan, the Allies would gain for the
year something like 100000 tons, not
counting the 100000 or more tons Of
chartered Japanese and Norwegian
ships and requisitioned Dutch vessels.
While encouraging, officials empha-
size the fact that these figures do not
furnish the margin of safety that is
necessary, and there will be no relax
ing of building efforts in any Of the
Allied countries or in America. Eng
lands output thus far this year has
not come up to expectations and the
American yards have not turned out
the tonnage anticipated because of
freight congestion and other causes,
and renewed efforts are being made to
make up these deficiencies.