The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1918-10-31
LAID NINE BARRAGE.
Assistant Secretary of the Navy Tells
of Big Undertaking.

Washington, Oct. 21.-Construc-
ton of the North sea mine barrage
against submarines, laying of an oil
pipe line across Scotland, and con-
struction of naval stations from the
Spanish border to the English chan
mel, and other details of the work Of
the American forces abroad we're told
today by Assistant Secretary Roose-
welt, who recently returned from a
visit to Europe.
The American people seem to
have very little idea of the extent
of our naval activities Abroad said
Secretary Roosevelt. THE tendency
is to think merely of conveying and
patrol work our destroyers and other
vessels are doing and the presence of
our b%attleships with the British fleet.
But important as that is it is only a
part of our activities and there are
dozens, of other things of importance
of which little has been said"
Big Undertaking.
The building of the northern bar
rage was one of the largest things
ever achieved in ordnance work, MI.
Roosevelt said. In turning out ma
terial for it a number of plants in
this country we're kept busy for
months. Several American bases
were established on the British coast
to lay and handle the mines.
To ave hauling of oil the Ameri-
can navy has undertaken to construct
a pipe line across Scotland.
Guarded by Air Forces.
"A1l the way from the Spanish
border clear around to the English
channel" said Mr.. Roosevelt, 1--WE
have established aviation stations so
placed that the entire coast line is
covered by seaplanes and dirigibles.
These stations we're built almost en-
tirely by our sailors. At each station
there is an everage Of from 200 to
800 men. This aviation force and
our patrol vessels have been doing
such splendid work that for the last
six months there have been practi-
cally no sinkings within fifty miles
of the French coast. We hope to
extend this patrol zone" In northern
France in cooperation with the Brit
ish and Belgians, Secretary Roose-
welt said, there had been established
what is known as the northern bomb
ing group, composed of a number of
aviation units, which did much to
prevent the Germans from again US
ing Zeebrugge and Ostend as subma-
rine bases.
Americans Busy.
An American naval force cooper
ating with the British at Gibraltar
is patrolling the Atlantic in that vi
cinity and is acting as convoy to YES
sells going to and from Italy, Greece
and Egypt. There is a flying school
with several naval aviation units on
duty in Italy while in the Adriatic is
a large group of submarine chasers.
Each naval base has it's hospital,
Secretary Roosevelt said, and in Scot
land an entire watering place has
been taken over by the Americans for
use as a hospital.
Conditions have vastly improved
from what they were last year." said
the seceratry in referring to the sub
marine menace. But we cannot af-
ford to let up in our activities for
one single second. In regard. to the
respect which u-boats have shown for
International law, you have but to
ask any officer or man in our own or
British or French navies. They will
tell you of, and prove to you, great
numbers of actual cases where the
Hun has violated every rule and ev-
cry principle of humanity"