Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-08-20
U-BOAT COMMANDER
COMES ASHORE ASSPY
Identified by Sailor Whose Boat
He Sank: Probably Visits New
York Confederates.

Washington. Aug. %U--from an
authoritative naval source It was learned
last night that German submarines nave
twice cut cables along the coast oi the
United States and that officers and men
Of German U-boats have had the bold
moss IN land at night on the shores of
rms country Information has been
given TO the Navy Department that an
hinder officer of n submarine recently
operating off the Virginia coast is be-
lIcvcd to have gone unnoticed to New
York and mingled with crowds in saloons
and other places IN that city.
The information submitted to the Navy
DEPARTMENT regarding the alleged trip
of this under officer to New York Clty
was of such circumstantIal character
that high officials of the department
credit il as being true. The statement
that one German officer had the hardl-
hood TO land ON the coast and make
such a journey was made TO hlgh ON
ral of the American naval admhistra,
non by the captain of merchant vessel
which was recently sunk of the south
ern roast This merchant captains
,amc has been withheld but ii was ALL
thoritativclv learned yesterday that he
came To Washington and crsonally sub
mjttcd his facts Ia high naval officials III 50
STRAIGHTFORWARD and clrcumstantlai
manner that the latter have no reason
to believe he was mistaken
according to the captain : story nc
went 10 New York after the sinking OF
his vessel While there he entered
restaurant accompanied hy a friend,
and was startled by meeting, face 10
face. a man whom, he has SINCE m
formed high naval officials, he recog-
uized as an under officer OF the sub
marine that had sunk his merchant yes
~cl not many DAYS before The captain
SAID he was positive he made no mistake
and that the man he saw showed clearly
.ba; he recognized the captain and I'M
n.diatcly disappearcd No trace OF .hIm
has since been seen. although naval m
tchCcucc officers have been gwen ms
description
Unless the merchant captain i ms
taken over the identity Of the man II Is
1hc hclicf Of high naval officials that the
German boat under-otliccr was land
cd ~ night somewhere along the coast,
and then made his way to New ork IN
search Of information The coast Is pa
+rojlcd IN naval vessels as we'll as ~
co9~t gIIardsmen Who walk along the
shores Ncvcrt hclcss il Is not consid-
cred impossible for men from suhma-
r.ncs 10 come ashore III coilapSlble boat
III night
The cables cut by the German sub
marines were lines running from the
American coast 10 the south One OF
them was cut when the German sub
marines frs visited American shores
few months ago and the other was cut
last week Both Of the cahicS have been
repaired. however The one cut some
time ago was severed somewhere along
the New Jersey coast Il ran toward
tho West Indies. The one cut last week
was d French cable running toward the
Indies and was cut of the Virginia
coast. Il has just been repaired. In
zach instance it was necessary 10 con-
vov the cable ship that was sent out 70
repair the cables
II has been definitely ascertalned
that the Navy Department has lntorma-
ZION convincing It that three suhna-
rlnes have operated along the American
coast during the campaign that has been
III progress during the last lew weeks
One OF them was cable-cuttng SUB
marine These submarines are now
known to have been OF the large crms-
ing type. each about 300 feet long, and
with a cruising radius Of 900 miles
They are each equipped with two guns
one ; and the other : inches
Definite information Is now IN posses
sion OF the Navy Department convincing
It's higher officials that more than halt
OF the German submarines have been
DESTROYED in the campaign against the
T--hoa4S Vhis information Is to the ef-
fect thai $50 submarines have been def
nifeIy DESTROYED. and that the number OF
..probabIe" and possible" sinkings of
submarines Is around fifty, bringing
the total losses Of submarines IN all
three classifcations TO approximately
200 Il Is learned that the Navy De
par1ment has information indicating that
there are now from 100 to $50 sub
marines left and operating These estl-
mates make II appear that the num-
fer of submarines that have been de-
stroyed Is al least q score greater than
all the submarines left In the German
navy