Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-01-06

dhat is. within the last six months)
that the enemy is or has been using
Il greater number At sea. In other
words. although more boats are being
built. it is possible they are being
banked up' for purpose which Is
not yet apparent. but which may be
not unconncctcd with the great volumes
OF shipping needed to bring across tho
Atlantic the vast products OF Americas
effort" that are now pilinS up In both
men and material
>. We know that the convoy system
introduced comparatively recently, so
far the present war is concerned.
has been considerably extended. Tho
general effect OF this system is to put
a screen OF patrol craft round the
Aotilla OF merchantmen conveyed. and
so to Keep the submarines beyond the
range At which they can use their tor
pcdocs. Submarines would. OF course.
be helpless with their guns against
ordinary escort.
B The principal areas where ship
ping conccntratcs--the most important
being. roughly, the wide cxpansc OF
sea between the south OF Ireland and
tho northwest OF Erancc-are being
patrolied more and more thoroughly
with every day that passes by de-
stroycrs and similar craft. to say moth
inE "t sea lanes and small airships.
and the growing strength and efficiency
OF the patrol not only adds to the
t-boats hut increases very consider
ably the difficulty they normally have
in getting near AN intended victim.
4. II should never be lost sight OF
| that among all tho nations whose ship
ping is being indiscrminately attacked
by tho Germans. there are only three
who permit their losses to ~ pub
lssh"d - Great Britain. France and
Italy. j, would. therefore. DC quite
possible for the Germans to switch
over their attack FOR few week. on
to tho ships Of some other power not
being one Of these three. and we might
go on consratulating ourselves on the
lowest sinkinEs on record" when. as
matter OF fact. tho J-boats were run
ming amock among tho no less valu-
able shipping OF other powers do
not for moment suggest that that is
happening. but 1t is certainly a uossi-
bility TO be borne in mind
do hope l have not given any ono
the impression in this article that /
am the least hit rcssimistic ae 10 the
future Of tho submarine campaign
SUBMARINES ARE NOT
YET DOWN AND OUT
] am confident that we arc rcttinr
tho t-boat undcr-down and out-wit,,
increasing success. but | am ruually
certain that we arc far from having
arrived at that time when we can Iool,
upon II as task achieved IL is sim
ply IN process Of achievements and
iikc ship that has been badly. but
not fatally. torpcdocd. we can only no
sure or pulling through by keeping all
hands 10 the pumps.
cur scientific devices no, only for
lodging the U-boat. but for DESTROYING
~ nave been developed enormously
since tho BEGINNING of the present wear
-ann not by any means wholly az a
result OF American cooperation.
CUR hunting craft are being turned
out IN evcr-increasinG numbers. and
hiEhiy successful methods have been
devised Tor stalking enemy subm rines
with submarines OF our own
on top OF this the organization or
our shipbuilding resources is Just be-
ginning TO make itself felt. and. al
though we hear much about being "be-
mind the timetable" in turning out
new ships. we are entitled to balance
this against the fact that Germany is
a good deal more behind in her time
table for sinking them. Maybe we
shall have built less than our prom-
ised i.09o.0oo tons OF new merchantmen
In the latter half OF 1917. but, as Ger
many based her calculations Of our
surrender on sinking 900 900 tons a
month. while her actual record for Sep