The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1918-05-17
Cruiser Submarines Designed
Especially to Meet Menace
of Destroyers.
WILL BE HEAVILY ARMED
War Against the U-Boats Has
Been Effective and Destruc-
ton of Allied Shipping Con-
stantly Falls Off.

Washington, May 16.-Realizing
that America and the allies have
gained the mastery over the present
type of submarine, Germany now is
said to be planning a new series of
big U-boat cruisers with which she
hopes to again assume the advant-
age in her unrestricted underwater
warfare.
Announcement of the new German
scheme is made by George Leygues.
the French minister of marine. in an
interview received here in an official
dispatch from France. No details
regarding the new U-boats were
given by NJ. Leygues, but from infor-
nation from other sources it appears
that the cruiser submarines will be
heavily armed and armored and will
be designed especially to meet the
menace of the torpedo boat DESTROY
ers which have proved so effective in
hunting down the smaller submarine
now in operation.
| M. Leygues declared that the allies
are ready to meet Germany's new
efforts and that they will not rest
upon the fine results obtained" in
the past.
I'VE shall not stop" he said, "un-
til we have cleaned up the sea as
one cleans up trench"
Construction Tops Sinkings.
Just how effective has been the
war against the U-boats is shown by
figures on destruction Of allied ship
ping given to the naval committee
OF the French chamber Of deputies
Saturday by Minister Leygues. They
reveal that sinkings OF merchantmen
have fallen off to the point where
new construction is exceeding the
destruction even now before Ameri-
can yards are in full swing on their
great building program.
The monthly average of destruc-
tions this year, as given by NJ. Ley
CUES. is $1,000, compared with
more than 100000 tons monthly in
1917. In April, of last year, the
first month of Germany's unrestrict-
ed submarine warfare, the tonnage
sunk was S71 900. In April of this
year, it had dwindled to about 268.-
900 tons
On the other hand, the destruction
of submarines is exceeding their con-
struction by the enemy and the mar
gin is expected to increase as addi-
tional American destroyers which
now are being turned out RAPIDLY.
take their place with the warcraft
operating in the war zone.
Years Gain Indicated.
The total of allied shipping de-
stroyed in the first four months of
1918 was placed by Minister Ley
gues at 1.262,345 tons and even II
the submarines are able to maintain
this rate, which officials doubt. the
years total would be something
like 100000 tons, or less than the
estimated amount of tonncge which
the shipping board believes America
will produce during the year.
Adding to American production
the output in Great Britain, France
and Japan, the allies would gain for
the year something like 10000
tons of chartered Japanese and Nor,
wegian ships and requisitioned
Dutch vessels.
While encouraging, officials en-
phasize the fact that these figures
do not furnish the margin of safety
that is necessary and there will be
no relaxing OF building efforts In
any OF the allied countries or in
America. England's output this far
this year has not come up to expec-
tations and the American yards have
not turned out the tonnage antici-
pated because OF freight congestion
and other causes, and renewed eff
forts are being made to make up
these deficiencies.