Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-06-10
SUBMARINE RAIDS
VAIN,SAYSG EDDES.
Sea Lord Believes U.Boats
Driven Here by De.
feat Abroad .
STRATEGY FUTILE

London, June 10.
1T is toe early yet to forecast what
the presence of German submarines off
the American coast may portend." said
Sir Eric Geddes, First Lord of the Ad-
miralty, In an interview today.
"On the one hand. it may be merely
a sporadic raid similar to that carried
out by the U-53 earlier in the war, or
IL may be the beginning of a serious
submarine campaign off the American
coast.
The vigorous and successful British
antl-submarine campaign in our waters
mas made submarine operations very
costly to the Germans, and perhaps they
calculate on getting better results along
the American coast. In this, however,
they will undoubtedly be disappointed,
since all our experience over here has
been placed without reservation at the
service of the American Administration,
which will thus be able to base its anti
submarine measures on practical re-
suits.
There is no indication that there has
been a sudden increase in the number of
enemy submarines. On the contrary,
there is no doubt we are sinking subma-
rines faster than the Germans are build
ing them"
Submarine S%trntegists Outwitted
In response TO questions. Sir Eric then
outlined the couise of German subma-
rine strategy since the outbreak of the
war.
AT first the submarines operated fifty
miles or so from the British coasts he
| said. After a time our defenses in that
| vicinity became too good for them to
combat and they were forced to within
- .Ara f~- $500
| time they managed to sink a number
of coastwise and unattached and I'M
conveyed merchantmen. Again our de-
| lenses overcame them and forced them
to operate far out at sea, whereupor
we introduced the convoy system and
foiled them once more. Now they are
| trying the same thing off the American
coast, where they will be defeated by
the same tactics as over here"
Sir Eric pointed out that there is some
advantage in forcing the submarines to
operate farther from the German bases
THE longer they lave to travel to
reach the operating zone, the less fueI
and supplies they will have and con-
s~equently the less time they will have to
spend in the operating zone"
In reply to a question regarding the
TYPE of submarine operating in American
waters, the First Lord declared:
Possibly a submarine of the con-
verified Deutschland type is being used
1 do not believe she is of the much
talked of giant submarine type. but Is
probably Of a type with a !ong cruising
and operating radius"
Doubts Submarine Base Here
Sir Eric said it is possible the Ger
mans might have been able to establish
a fuel depot on the American coast a
some isolated point, but he does MOI
believe a submarine base has been es'
tablished.
"A submarine base means more thai
a fuel depot" he said. ut includes &
dock. After a submarine has been on
for three weeks 1t usually needs over
hauling. 1t is pretty difficult to estab
lish such a base on a hostile coast
There would be much more chance o.
establishing it on a less carefully guard
ed neutral coast"
Geddes thought 1t was difficult to sa!
what classes of ships submarines woult
attack in future, but believed any at
tacks on American troop transport:
would inevitably rebound against Ger
many by increasing Americas determi
nation and adding to the severity of he
fighting. He plainly indicated his be
lief this is the last desperate phas
of German submarine policy. 1t shout
not cause any additional anxiety regard
ing the submarine situation, he said, bu
should only cause a searching of thei
hearts by the German people who haV
been tricked into believing the subma
rines will win the war for them.