Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial. (Wilmington, Del.) 1878-1928, 1918-06-05
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8, 1918
TbeIT-Bost Raid OF Lewes.

Very startling to the people of Delaware
was the raid on American merchant
vessels off the Delaware Brcskwater,
nsvs ~ which was made public yesterday
morning. An oil tanker was torpedoed
and sunk. and another was attacked.
but escaped by superior speed Fart OF
the encounter, and Of the subsequent
p,,rs,1it Of the daring invaders by torpedo
boat chascrs from the naval base at CAPE
Nav. was in full view Of many citizens OF
Icwes. from advantageous points OF
observation on Lcwcs Beach and at
Point Of Capcs.
In view Of the previous attack by Ger
man submarines off the northern cost Of
Now Jersey. tins attack of the Break
wafer cannot be held as really surprising
But that it was disconceriing and some
what alarming viii not be denied. Posi-
blv an unfortunate result will be a state
~ excitement for a while that may lead
70 continual reports Of U-bost operations,
.Dd also somewhat rabid speculations
as 70 subsequent raids that will include
attacks upon ports along the upper
Atlantic seaboard Speculations of this
kind were started yesterday by officials
of The Aerial Club OF New York City,
one Of whom said he would not be sur
pri~nd if that city should be bombed by
\ German airplane few minutes after
the time Of his declaration He insisted
that airrlanes could be brought over on
these apparently unusually large sub
marines and assembled and launched from
their decks.
But while possible, this is hardly
nrobablc. Al any rate, there will be no
use in worrying over such a probability
until the danger becomes more imminent.
This German raid upon our seacoast
will not continue long. The officers
of our navy now stationed in Washington
are not much alarmed over the situation,
and do not fear disaster And the boats
of our navy are now in swift and dihgent
pl-suit OF the invaders, and certainly
Will drive them 10 cover or destroy them
eventually. And they are of sufficient
force. without withdrawing single one
of our war vessels from foreign service TO
amply protect our coast, TO say nothing
nj the new vessels that VIII be turned out
In a short time
Ii cannot be otherwise regarded than
that this daring and audacious raid OF
our sescoast is an evidence of desperation
on the part Of Germany. her C-boat
campaign in foreign waters, dastardly
and deyilish. has been successfully conn
batted by the navles OF Great Britain
and France, ably aided by naval forces OF
our government Her desperate attempt
IN break through the Allied lines IN
Flanders and France has been checked
and soon Will be defeated, owing TO the
successful resistance by British, French
and American armies. Germany DC
doubt intended this American coast RAID
as y means of terrorism, which possibly
would put stop 10 the active movements
Of our transports IN carrying troops II
large numbers and supplies and munitions
in large quantities across the ocean, II
order to bring the war there TO glorious
concIllsion-th entire success of TIN
Allies.
But our people Will not be terrorize'
by the situation. There Is no doub
il will be met, and successfully; that tn
transport abroad Of our troops AM
munitions and supplies will be continued
TO the doom of Germany. We may NEE
with occasional reverses, some of whlcl
may strike us deeply, by reason ofthe los
of many brave men. But we will not b
deferred from our purpose OF fighting tn
war to the end. Still, TO the people o
Delaware il is an exciting event TO nav
active war operations brought so clos
to our shores No hostile foreign warsln
has been in sight from the Breakwate
since the famous bOmbaTdment of Lewe
by British feet during the war OF 1917
which occurred more than century age
in April, 1913 But Lcwes and th
Delaware militia refused to be scared an
put up a brave and successful resistance
We of today cannot afford to be les
brave and determined There is not Tia
remotest probability that the Germa
invaders could succeed in passing til
defences of the Delaware and Tcachin
Wilmington and Philadelphia