New-York tribune., 1918-10-15
Submarine Peril Still Is
Grave, First Sea Lord
Of Britain Says
Navies One Unit
Guarding Commerce
Head of British Admiralty
Welcomes Battle With
Germany

The C-boat menace is greater than
1t ever was" Sir Eric Geddes, First
Lord OF the British Admiralty, declared
last night at a dinner Of the Pilgrim
Society in the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in
the course of an appeal to the United
States to speed up its construction OF
anti-U boat craft.
Chauncey Nj. Depew, who was toast
master. read excerpts from President
Wilson's note to Germany, which the
diners received with applause.
There comes to us now said Mr.
Depew. "at the festive table, news
which relieves US, as it must relieve
every man, woman and child in the
United tates-unconditional surrender
is what we must and will have!"
Those at the tables, of whom there
were about eighty. broke into applause
Mr. Depew introduced the guest of the
evening as "the head of the creates st
branch of British military power, and
- the same time partly an American,
since he got his start in life on rail
road in this country" He was the
the fleet which guarded the shores OF
the United States when this country
still hestated to declare war
Sir Eric Geddes said in part:
"W G must not relax the muscles Of
our fighting arm nor our war effort in
any anticipation of early peace. To do so
would be the Surest way to render any
discussions which may take place pro
longed and less satisfactory.
II thins it Will be of some interest
0 those to whom it is my privilege
20 speak tonight. if I give you some
idea of the sacrifices which it has beer
;he lot Of Great Britain and her do
minions to make in this world war.
Total Ship Losses $50
In men war by which I mean
lighting ships of all classes. our losses
since the outbreak of the war are
approximately 23O-more than twice
he total losses of war vessels of the
whole of the other allies. In addi-
ton 10 this loss we have lost 45O auXi.-
AIRY craft. such as mine sweepers and
irawlers, making total of $50.
Turning to merchant ships, our
ber, representing a gross tonnage OF
nearly 7.750000, being nearly three
-nes the aggregate losses of our Allies
aad 30 per cent more than the total
losses Of all other Allied and neutral
countries.
the cooperation between the Allied
navies is as close as cooperation can DC
when it has unity of action. The Brit
ish navy and the American forces op-
Grating in the northern waters are a
homogeneous navy. The same applies
II all other seas. We and the navies
O. our allies are keeping open the trade
routes and lines OF communication OF
the world and if there ever was q man
Hesitation OF the value Of sea powel
that manifestation is before us to-day
With the command of the sea Germany
would have won this war in 1914.
But as regards the sea, believe me
Germany is not beaten, is not nearly
beaten, and in some respects il
stronger than she ever was.
should the German naval policy bt
changed by force of circumstances o.
by a spirit of adventure which it ha!
so far failed to show, it will be met
and if it means to fight that fight viii
be naval Armageddon in which you
magnificent battleships, with the Crane
Fleet, will, | am sure, take a worth,
and distinguished part.
with the Ostend channel PRACTICAL.
blocked by the old Vindictive, and Zee
brugge blocked and sitting up. anC
with only tortuous channel Gu
through masonry for an exit, and will
four tons of explosives per da!
dropped month by month upon BRUCE
and zeebrugge, the Germans have de
cided that those ports are no longer O
any value to them from an offensive
point of view, and their craft have
been withdrawn.
Find Ports of No Value
at looks as if their armies will
shortly withdraw also, but, at any rate
in the mean time. from the point o