The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1918-07-09
ENEMY SUBMARINES WILL KEEP \
ON COMING TO RAID US. COAST
by HARRY u. HUNT
Sue,isI staff Dispatch

WAaIIINGTON, July b.-Dpern
tions of German submarines along
the American coast have brought no
new problems To the United States
navy. hccording 90 Franklin u. Roos'
evolt. assistant secretary Of the navy.
such attacks we're foreHeen when
we entered the war. and the ways
and means 20 combat them have
been diligently developed.
The 4 boat problem" says Roose'
welt. lis one Of an eternal triangle. "
lie picked up pad and proceeded
| to illustrate,
Here" he said. marking a spot.
ARE German submarine bases. To
reach the high seas the submarines
either have TO SO north, around Scot
land. or south. thru the English
channel.
Cover Western Base
"ff YOU draw n line from the north
OF Scotland TO the mouth Of the -.
Lawrence river. and from the south
ern end Of the English channel TO The
West Indies. and then connect up the
West Indies with the st. Lawrence
river "a line approrimhung tho
danger zone OF submarine operations
OF the American coast--you have "a
great triangle which comprises the
real naval war zone.
To-day our patrol covers the whole
western base OF the triangle.
but inasmueh ~ every sub
marine must move out Of the
apex Of the triangle. resting In
Germany. IL IN there. and not
along the thousands 81 miles Of
American base line. that we
should concentrate our first RI.
forts. II Ia easier, more eeonofn'
teal Of resources and better hunt.
Ing.
As result we have and Will keep
in that zone the major part OF our
destruyeru and fast boats. The more
Z effective our patrol there. where the
{ foes movements coming and going
must concentrate. and where. also. all
our shipments OF men. munitions and
I food are most oongcsted. the less the
I danger OF attack along the big base
T line Off our coast
Home Ports Protected
But the keeping % our best boats
f In European waters does not mean
only nccond.ratc baau are left tor
patrol work on this side For this
work. close 30 home ports. IL il no,
so necessary that the boats be able
10 Keep at sea for long periods.
we have hundreds Of small. fast
E boats. 1T for s~a going. but not for
pca keeping with the development
T Of the depth charge rs means Of
attack on Z boats. the efficiency OF
T these small boats IL practically on a
par with that Of larger vessels mount
ms heavy guns
In addition TO this boat patrol. We
have bosn building up our force o,
sea planes for an aerial patrol our
I program for sea plane stations aione
( the coast, while not complete. Is
I much more nearly met than the
armyH ajrplAre program,
Sailing Ships Helpless
'e'ro date the submarines have sunk
on this side only one large coastwisc
steamer and two smaller steamers
( The bulk Of their victims have been
/ MchoonerH and small sailing vessels
1T is practically impossible 20 save
slow sailing vessels from submarine
attacks. They carry no wireless. A
sailing ship can't xig gag. She lis an
easy and helpless victim.
additional boats win come
/ over. They may make occasional
raids In force. or they may run
/ in series. arriving every four On
five days. In order 10 replace The
submarines that must return TO
their bases for fuel and supplies.
Hut whatever tactics are us~d.
/ our defenses will be used 10 the
I utmost In whatever way seems
best TO m~et the particular form
II