Jackson County journal. (Sylva, N.C.) 19??-19??, 1918-11-29
BY SIR ERIC GEDDES.

I'irst Lord IF the British Admiralty.
IN Speaking of the United States
naval forces, l do so with the great
advantage of having seen most of them
personally in the course of the last is
months. and l can assure the public |
that the morale and efficiency are alb
>Ulutcly on the top line. Not only
: the kecnness, technical skill and
mCaniZa ION of the personnel truly re-
markable, but, further, the material
of all ships and their equipment are
of the highest efficiency and latest de-
sign. What applies to your fighting
ships applies also to your depot and
without giving offensc to the great
naval services Of the two countries,
that the intermingling and cO-Operat-
I've working is giving opportunities,
which both services are taking, of
picking out examples Of the best for
adoption in and by the other service.
| am, of course unable to disclose
any details of the numbers Of your YES
sells operating abroad. but with the
permission Of your navy department
may say that they comprise some Of
the largest capital ships as we'll as
cruisers, destroyers, submarines. chas-
ers, and many types of aircraft.
Taking these various classes in turn.
l would like first of all to show you
that your battlcships are working with
htit
perfect coordination and efficiency,
and had the very great pleasure of
witnessing their arrival when they
first joined up with our own grand
deet, and was able to make Il signal
0t welcome to them on that Occa-
sion
Convoy BaIks Germany.
AS regards your cruisers, they are
workin. with US in the White sea,
North sea-, Atlantic and Mediterranean,
and | have seen them and admired
their efficiency in all these places. 1t
Is to them, as we'll as to the gallant
little deStroyers, working with the cor
responding forces of all the allies. that
the success of the convoy system is
due. It IS the convoy system which
baked Germany when she adopted
ayoWedly the inhuman and ruthless
method Of submarine warfare, consid
cred inconceivable and contrary to all
noble traditions of the sea before the
war, hut which we now accept as one
OF the outward signs of the devi
nh has 20 n
many is fit to take her place as ar
honorable member Of the League OF
Nations, in whatever form that oft
discussed organization may finall.
shape itself.
Germany reckOned to end the wal
last year by cutting the sea commu
njcationS of the alliance and by tn
reduction in tonnage; the dissatisfac
non Of the German nation with tn
result OF their criminal effort is du
III very great measure TO the cOnvO,
system, but it is due also to the al
lied efforts to trap and hunt the sub
marine on passage and to harasS it OF
station, and those two functions In sub
marine warfare must not be confused
Efficient Naval Protection.
The ocean convoy is primarily dc
lense organization, and secondaril
only. an offensive organization. 1t
complement in this new form Of nave
warfare is the hunting f1Otilla and tn
mine field. These two measures mus
ne carefully balanced and the rels
1--WE urgency Of the demands of one c
The other must receive, and does n
'eivr. the most urgent considerable
ana ceaSeless care and adjustment {
Tie great naval officers who al
charged with that responsibility. 4
The present moment the United State
and Great Britain have become tt
iooln bases Of supply for the armi'
III Europe and in order to inSul
'hc>e lines of communication beir
"tlrguarded and kept open, every eft
'eht naval protection is required. TT
'a'Ge proportion of merchant shi
pug which brings these supplies mu
hocrSSarily be American and BIRTHS
and consequently the Anglo-Americ'
zone Of naval OperatiOns-which ma