Evening star., 1918-04-23
ANOTHER STEP IN
DEFEATING U-b0AT
Navy Department Explains
British Raid on Bases Is
Part of Program.
CHECK SPRING OPERATIONS

News of the British raid upon the Ger
man submarine base at Ostend and Zee
brugge and of the attempt to bottle up
those harbors was received with great
interest at the Navy Department. Ths
move was taken as another definite step
in the carefully planned campaign
against the U-boats which. it has been
repeatedly predicted, would begin. to
show material results about this time.
The recent raid of the British grand
fleet into the Cattegat, when ten Ger
man trawlers were sunk. was said to
have been another of the steps to pre-
vent the egress of the submarines
1t has long been established that the
principal, bases of submarines which
operate in waters around the British
Isles are in the captured Belgian ports
The wharves. workshops and basins of
those harbors have been frequently
bombed by allied airmen, in several in
stances with good results.
Upset Submarine Operations.
If the bottling operation is success
full 1t is believed that it will upset Ger
man submarine operations for some
weeks, and perhaps months Usually
about two-thirds of the submarines are
at the bases and one-thi.d out Not
only would those at the base be kept
there, but those outside would find
themselves in a precarious position and
would be forced to hunt another homiiag
place.
Even should the Germans establish
other bases. they would have to be
located at points farther to the north
east. Netherlands would not permit
such bases on her shores, hence the
Germans would be driven to their own
ports Operating from German bases
would mean much longer trips to reac ch
their prey. and would lessen the ef-
fectiveness of the U-boats in a great
degree.
Offensive and Defensive.
The allied plans of campaign. in
which the American naval forces were
given an important part. is understood
to have included both offensive and
defensive activities. While submarine
chasers. uestroyers and fast cruisers
endeavored to locate and annihiIate the
L boats which put to sea. other means
were to be taken to prevent the esress of
subm arines from their bases
NO details have been published Of the
plan to pen up the submarines in their
bases. Countermining and extensive
systems Of nets have been discussed,
and they are known to have been en-
ployed largely. The proposal that a
strong force of naval ships be sent to
watch each harbor mouth to prevent
the exit Of sweepers and of fast aux
llfaries acting as convoy for the sub
mersibles also has been discussed.
The peculiar formation of the Belgian
coast has acted as an insurmountabl bic
obstacle 20 any major naval offensive.
The gradually shelving beach prevents
the approach of any but the lishtest
iraft vessels. Narrow channels pierce
this shallow stretch of water and these
we're extensively mined by the Germans.
shore fortif1cations of unusual strength
add to the protection against attack
from the sea.
Ihe Importance attached by the Brit
sh to the Ostend and Zeebrueee bases
s indicated by the report that the Brit
sh have designed and constructed a |
special type of monitor for the sole pur-
pose OF making an attack on those |!
Dlaces.