New-York tribune., 1918-07-08
Admiral Says Submarines
Are Increasing i'm Num-
Der and Quality
Ship Losses Placed
At 100000 Tons
Minister of Marine Asserts
Four to Five Big Vessels
Are Sunk Daily

AMSTERDAM, July 7.-German sub
MARINES are increasing both in num-
Der and quality, according to decla-
ration made by Vice-Admiral Won Ca
pele, Minister of the Navy, in the
debate on the third reading of the
naval estimates in the Reichstag. He
asserted that reports of U-boat losses
have bacn exaggerated by the Entente
Allies.
Won Capelle's statement was made
in response to reference by Dep
uty of the Centre to the assertion of
the French Under Secretary Of the
Navy that twothirds of the German
U-boats had been sunk, while twice
the number which Germany is able to
build also are being destroyed.
These figures are incorrect" said
Admiral Won Capelle, "as is also the
recent statement by the British Min
lister Of Marine that since January
last the number sunk exceeded new
construction. The facts are quite the
reverse.
"All reports about U-boat losses
spread by the enemy are exaggerated.
As far as the number and quality of
our U-boats are concerned our weapon
is increasing in strength.
MANY of you gentlemen recently
attended lecture by one of our sub
marine commanders who had just re-
turned from the barred zone. He de-
scrbed in detail all the defensive
measures which our enemies employ
against the U-boat. His utterances
showed that cur splendid U-boat crews
have stood their ground hitherto
against all these measures, and l have
every reason to believe they will con-
tinue to do so in the future
Official publications by the Ad-
miralty staff are the most reliable
basis for judging the military results
of the submarine war. To date, about
100000 tons which were at the dis
posal of the enemy, already have been
destroyed. The sinking of an aver
age of FIVE big vessels is still reported
daily. This is a guarantee that the
efficacy of the submarine war remains
unaltered."
Quotes Filene's Statement
Won Capelle then cited the state
msnt by Vicc-Admiral Sims in London
on May 8 that the ascending curve of
night, would cut the descending curve
of submarine sinkings so that the AL
lied powers would be able fully to re-
place their losses.
almost simultaneously" he con-
tined. Edward A. Filene, president cf
the shipping committee of the United
States Chamber of Commerce, said:
"'Spring of 1919 will have arrived
before our curve of shipping construc-
ton cuts the curve of U-boat sinkings.
All statements published in newspa-
pers about decrease in sinkings are
based on hopes and dreams:'
This sounds quite different, al
though Filene, as an American, GER
that next spring, if the war continues
then that his hopes will prove to be
incorrect. What then is the present
position %
-Four to five big vessels with valu-
able cargoes of materials for troops,
raw materials and foodstuffs are sunk
daily, for which an approximate SINH
lar compensation in new construction
cannot be produced within measura-
BILE time. There is, therefore, con-
tlnually decreasing amount of tonnage
at the disposal of our enemies.
This continual decrease is con-
iioHleu, however, by continually IN
creasing requirements. With every
American soldier who steps on Euro
pean soil the demand for tonnage in
creases by about six gross register
tons. This is the main point The
demand increases permanently by
about three gross register tons head
to supply the men with all that is
necessary.
"The enemy press has spread the
report everywhere that the submarine
IS no longer effective and, to repeat
Lloyd George, is now no longer a dan
ger, but only nuisance. We should
not allow ourselves to be influenced
by such confident speeches of the
enemy.
"The result of the submarine war
must one day naturally decrease when
the sea traffic also decreases, but this
can as little alter the final result as
me circumstance that under specially
favorable conditions a greater loss of
submarines can temporarily occur than
normally.
THE firm will to victory which led
our army in the West from victory to
victory is also alive in our navy, and
Ine U-boat war, too, will reach its