The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1918-05-13
SUB MENACE
IS RAPIDLY
DECREASING;
HUNSAWARE
Sinkings Of Subs in First
Three Months of 1918
Greater Than the Number
Built by Foe.
TO REDOUBLE EFFORTS
(By Associated Pressl

PARIS, Saturday, May 1.-THE ef-
fectiveness OF the German submarine
campaign is declining. The German
government is aware of this fact, de-
clared Georges Leygues, minister of
Marine, before the naval committee
of the chamber Of deputies today, but
has made the greatest efforts to con-
ceal it. He said the situation was
most favorable and that the sinkings
of submarines in the first three
months OF 1913 through allied meas
ures was greater than the number
built by the enemy.
Minister Leygues referred to the
statement made in the Reichstag on
April H. by Vice-Admiral Won Capelle,
German Minister of Marine, in which
he said 100000 tons of allied shipping
were sunk monthly. This figure, the
minister said was incorrect.
Rapidly Decreasing.
IL was reached and passed in April,
May and June of 1917. In July it de-
clined and in November it fell below
100000 and since has diminished con-
tinuously The minister gave the fol-
lowing comparative table of the ton
mage actually lost in the past five
months.
Claimed Actual
by Germany Losses
December 100000 tons. 3S6,277
January ..... .632, 900 tons 302, ,459
February 49,. .6S9, 900 tons 332, ,522
March .... .6S0,000 tons 35S $50
April ... 100000 tons 26S,704
NJ Leygues said that in February,
March and April. 2,723 French steam
ers and 7SS French sailing vessels
passed through the danger zone. where
few months ago losses by torpedo
ing had been very heavy. Not single
ship was sunk
U-eosts Sunk Fast
On the other hand, he said, the num-
ber of submarines destroyed had in
creased progressively since January in
such proportion that the effectiveness
or enemy's campaign cannot be main
tanned at the minimum required by
the regulations. The number of enemy
U-boats destroyed in January. Febru.
airy and March was far greater in
each month than the lumber con-
structed in the same month. In Feb
ruary and April the number of sub
marines destroyed was three less than
the total destroyed in the previous
three months.
These results, the minister declared
were due to the methodical character
of the war against submarines; to the
close cooperation of the allied navies
to the intrepidity and spirit animat-
ing the officers and crews Of naval and
aerial squadrons and to tie intensi-
fication of the use OF the old methods
and the employment of new ones.
Situation Most Favorable"
"The situation is most favorable" !"
the minister continued. hut it does
not authorize the slackening of efforts
Rather. it is necessary to redouble it
sibles into service and IS trying a
fresh offensive in which he plays for
his last stake.
THE sea front has no communique
The country does not know the ter
rible life there when great events oc.
cur. Yet it is there that there is be-
ing played one Of the parts which has
and issue of the war. The country
knows that mastery of the sea is the
certain gauge of vistory II should
know also that the mastery belongs
10 the allies, who have won it and
who keep it, thanks to the heroism of
the sailors who are worthy of their
brothers"
The minister then gave details of
the successful British operations
against the German submarine bases
at Zeebrugge and Ostend.