The Mena weekly star., 1918-02-14
NDEWSED TO
 DEFEAT SUBMARINE
One Ship Already Made Unsuitable, Even if Hole 30 or 70 Feet m Di- ametcr Blown in Side-N0
 Longer Secret.

Longer Secret.
 New York, Feb. 9. Means have been found to make troop transports unsuitable by submarine, accord ing to statement made tonight by Wm. L. Saunders, yice-chairman of the navy consulting board, in an ad- dress at a dinner of the University of Pennsylvania alumni, in this city.
 Mr Saunders said that'one of the ships recently Communicated by the government nov lies at an Allan tic port and in such shape that she can not he sunk by an exploding torpedo
 fl can conceive of no reason why this information should be with held, he added. "On ihc contrary. l believe it is well that the enemy may come to realize that the time has been reached when American transports are ready for the trans portation of our troops with what that enemy can not sink.
 This ship may have a hole 30 or 70 feet in diameter blown in her side and she will remain ahoat Such a hole would waterlog but one-tenth Of the honey-eombed airtight cells
 Washington, Feb 9-Anncunee- ment made by Mr Saunders of the naval construetius board that means had been found to make troop ships practically unsuitable lends Hew meaning to the confidence with which ylfl American and British naval authorities are facing their task of clearing the seas of U-boats Recent statements by Admiral Jelli- COG. formerly first sea lord of the British admiralty by Secretary Dan iels and other officials have indi- cated that a campaign has been mapped out and the insirumenlali- ties developed which are expected to cGrD. if not eliminate, the sub marine entirely within the next few ron'ns.
 njavussion of the devices deyeI- oped is deplored by officials here. investigations and experiments have been guarded closely. High officials have been free to assert privately, however, their belief that the U- buals would be ;n, ked sufficiently 1s carly summer tG insure a sleady aow of American troops and sup plies to Europe, with few incidents such as that of the Tuscania to be anticipated.
 Admiral Jellicoe went further than other officials by predicting the submarines would be killed by August. At she same time he warnel that heavy ship losses were to be expected up to that time.
 Secretary Baker has insisted be- fore the senate committee that a million and a half American troops could be taken to France and kept supplied during 1918 His replies to the questions as to tonnage for the task have indicated that he has in l formation which he does not care to disclose. Without disclosing any of the new implements that may have been developed to meet the subma- rine menace, navy officials have pointed out that efforts startedwhcn the United States entered the war are now on the point of bearing fruit. Additional destroyers and pa- 1 trol craft are beginning to come for ward. In some cases more than a years time has been saved in de- stroyer construction. Swifter, moro heavily armed vessels, fitted with every device, are being rushed to the support of Vice Admiral Sims | 1otilla.
 l With the complete mobilization of | these agencies against an enemy al- ready severely hampered by the skill and daring of American and British patrol fleets, it is pointed out thai
 greater repression of submarines IS certain, even 1T no master weapon
 has been evolved However, it i: l evident, even without Mir. Saunders statement, that important mechan- l ical devices have been brought to .
 high state of perecftion and vii | play large part in the warfare. I Destroyers equipped with depth 1 bombs have been rated as the mos1 I efficient foe of the submarines. Tht i number of destroyers, the effective ness of the bombs used, and tho 1 means of hurling these charges have been increased. Ways of de- tecting the hidden foe at incre8sinG range also have been worked out The hchnidue of this latest phase of naval warfare has been perfected by the officers and men of the IT. boat hunting fleets.
 l These things. supplemented by what they know of the devices evolved secretly. form the basis on which hieh officers here have said repeatedly that the U-hoats would he curbed this year. probably this orripU