The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-10-26
TELLS Of HAVf''s WORK.
ASSISTANT SECRETARY GIVES
GLIMPSE BEHIND SCENES.
North Sea Mine Barrage Against SUBJ
marines and Long Pipe Line Mene
toned. ~ >4Si

Washington, Oct 21.-Constructlon
of the North Sea mine barrage against
submarines, laying of an Oil pipe line
across Scotland and constructing OF
naval stations from the Spanish Dor
der to the English channel, and 9TH
er details of the work of the American
navy in foreign waters were given 10
the public today by Assistant Secre-
tary Roosevelt, who recently return
ed from a visit to Europe.
s"The American people seem to have
very little idea of the extent OF our
naval activities abroad" said Secre-
tary Roosevelt The tendency Is 70
think merely of conveying and patrol
work our destroyers and other ves-S
sells are doing and the presence OF
our battleships with the British heet.
But important as that is it is only
part of our achievements and there
are dozens of other things Of import
ance of which little has been said.
The building of the northern bar
rage was one Of the biggest things ev-s
er accomplished in ordnance work,
Mr.. Roosevelt said. In turning out
material for it a number Of plants IN
this country were kept busy for
months. Several American bases
! were established on the British coast
20 lay and handle the mines.
To save hauling of oil the American
navy has undertaken to construct
pipe line across Scotland.
"All the way from the Spanish Dor
der clear around to the English chan
| nell" said Mr.. Roosevelt, we nave
estab ablished aviation stations so spaced
that the entire coast line is covered
bv seaplanes and dirigibles. These.
stations were built almost entirely by
our sailors. At each station there Is
an average of from 200 to 800 men
This aviation force and our patrat5
vessels have been doing such spIen-
did work that for the last six months
there have been practically no sink
ings within so miles Of the French
coast. We hope to extend this patrol
zone to 100 miles.
In northern France in cooperation
with the British and Belgians, Secre-.
tarv Roosevelt said there has been
established what is known as the
northern bombing group, composed
of a number of aviation units, which
did much to prevent the Germans
from again using Zeebrugge and os-
! tend as Submarine bases.
An American naval force cooperat-
ing with the British at Gibraltar Is
patrolling the Atlantic in that vicinity
and is acting as convoy to vessels go-
ing to and from Italy, Greece and
Egypt. There is flying school with
several naval aviation units on duty
in italy while in the Adriatic is q
large group of submarine chasers.
Each naval base has its hospital.
Secretary Roosevelt said, and in Scot
land an entire watering place has
been taken over by the Americans ZOE
use as hospital.
Conditions have vastly improved
from what they were last year. said
the secretary in referring to the sub
marine menace. "But weScan not az
ford to let up in our activities.for ons
single second. In regard to the re-
spect which u-boats have shown for
international law, you have but to
ask officer or man in our own or
British or French navies. They viii
tell you Of: and prove to you, great
numbers Of actual cases where the
Hun has vi6lated every rule and ev-
cry principal of humanity. !.
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