The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-06-15
SAYS SUBMARINE
RAID ON AMERICA
IS ONLY A BLUFF
British First Sea Lord Com.
ments on New BLOCKADE"
Believes Only One U-Boat Is
Operating Here.
WOULD BRIGHTEN AMERICA
Germans Seek to Draw e. s.
Craft From Europe.
Allies Must Centralize Naval
T~-tS.
WOULD BRIGHTEN AMERICA
Germans Seek to Draw e. s.
Craft From Europe.
Allies Must Centralize Naval
~-tS.

London, June fisherman sub
marine activity off the Atlantic coast
of the United States should not be
taken seriously, as the Germans prob
ably will not attempt a blockade of
the American shores.
This is the opinion of Vice Admiral
Sir Rosslyn Weymss. first sea lord of
the British admiralty. The admiral
believes there is only one submarine
operating off the American coast and
that the purpose of its trip across the
Atlantic was to brighten the Ameri-
cans. German ruthlessness at sea, the
first sea lord declared, must be met
by centralized warfare in the North
sea and the Mediterranean.
Praises American Navy.
Admiral Weymss paid tribute to the
cooperation of the American naval
forces in European waters. He said
the American ships not only were sta
toned in the north. but were also OPP
Grating in the Mediterranean and off
Gibraltar.
The first sea lord was bending over
table at work when the interviewer
entered the room. He had cast aside
his coat and waistcoat owing to the
heat Of the afternoon, the windows
were open and there was about the
admiral a fresh-air atmosphere.
Eaid Only Bluff.
This development should not be
taken very seriously" he said in reply
TO a general inquiry as to what i'm
portance he attached to the German
sinking of shipping off the American
coast
IF I were inclined to bet, I should
say there has not been more than one
submarine off the American coast. 1
he hut 10 s.
sion l have formed. That conclusion
fits in with my Interpretation of the
enemy's object.
Cannot Blockade American Coast.
The Germans cannot hope to
maintain anything in the character of
a blockade. The distance is too great
from their bases.
The enemy has merely made a
demonstration with the hope of caus
ing us TO decentralize our efforts to
put down the submarine. His object
is to brighten the American people in
influence on their naval authorities.
Allies Must Centralizc Forces.
You will remember that Napoleon
declared that 'exclusiveness of purpose
Is the secret of great successes and of
great operations Now If the Ger
mans could cause dispersal of naval
forces, this demonstration of the
American coast would achieve its pur-
pose.
Il hold firmly to two principles. AS
chief of the staff 1 believe firmly in
decentralization in administration. but
as chief of staff also believe as
firmly in the Capitalization of effort
agai. st the enemy.
"Glance at an ordinary school atlas
If you have not got what the Germans
would call war map handy. You
will observe that the centra powers
have formed a block in Europe rum
ming down fro m the North sea to the
Adriatic and to the point where the
Dardanelles debouches into the Medi-
terranean.
ANY submarine to reach the Ameri-
can coast. has to pass either to thu
north or south of the British isles or
along the Mediterranean where
Gibraltar stands sentinel over the
narrow exits.
Fight U-Boats in Narrow Sea.
THAT atlas is illuminating. 1t in
dicates sound strategic methods of
dealing with the subj marine campaign.
We must fight the U-boat in the mar
row seas in other words. we must CEN
tralize. concentrating all our forces in
what is really the decisive area.
The Germans you may be sure have
been studying the charts and in send
Ing one of their so called submarine
cruisers to the American coast they
thought to raise an outcry in the Unit
ed States against the policy which is
now being pursued of fighting the
submarines in the narrow seas
Well. 1 judge both from official in
formation and cable dispatches in
the newspapers that they have already
failed in their purpose.
You know. of course" the first
sea lord continued, that for more
than n year past American men of war
H. . cen operating from Queens