Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1918-02-20
SHIPS THAT SUBS. CAN'T SINK.
Diversity Of Opinion as to NIerits-A
Grave Situation.

to a statement made here by VIM.
u. Saunders, vice chairman Of the
naval consulting board in an address
at dinner Of the University of
Pennsylvania alumni.
At Least Ono Ship is Ready.
Mr.. Saunders said that one of the
ships recently Communicated by the
government "now lies at an Atlantic
port and in such shape that she can
not be sunk by an exploding tor
pedo.'
i can conceive of no reason why
this information should be with
held, he added. "On the contrary,
l believe 1t Is we'll that the enemy
may come to realize that the time
has been reached when American
transports are ready for the trans
2ortet:on Of our troops which that
enemy cannot sink" This ship may
have hole 80 or 40 feet in dame
ter blown In her side, and she will
remain aflOat. Such hole would
waterlog but one-tenth of the honey
cOmbed air-tight cells
Mr.. Saunders described in detail
the plan to keep ships afloat after
they had. been torpedoed, and the
manner in which it had been devel-
oped by VIM. F. Donnelly, New
York marine engineer, working un-
der authorization of the naval con-
sulting board.
VIII Take Time to Equip Ships.
"Of course, it will take some time
to equip similarly the large number
Of transports we have" continued
Mr.. Saunders. 1T is my belief, how
ever, that nothing will be left undone
hu hn Il lot tn,
the lives OF large troop contingents
to be moved across the Atlantic"
Mr.. Saunders, in a statement cred
tied to him last May, asserted that
solution Of the submarine problem
had probably been found by the
board and in the opinion of the
board members the scheme, as APP
proved, would put an end to the sub
marine menace. He did not enter
into details. Other members Of the
board, including Thos. Robins, it's
secretary, and Frank J. Sprague, a
member Of the committee on subma-
rines, took issue with Mr.. Saunders
that the solution of the U-boat mep-
ace has been reached.
Believes Menace Nearing End.
Washington. Feb 10.-Announce-
ment by Vice Chairman Saunders. OF
the naval consulting board, that
means had been found to make troop
ships practically unsinkable lends
new meaning to the air Of confidence
with which both American and Brit
ish naval authorities are facing their
task of clearing the seas of U-boats.
Recent statements by Admiral Jelli-
coe, formerly first sea lord Of the
British admiralty; by Secretary
Daniels, and other officials have in
: dicated that a campaign has been
mapped out and the instrumental
ties developed which are expected to
curb, If not to eliminate the subma-
rines entirely within the next few
months
Discussion of the devices develop
ed is deplored by officials here. In
vestigationS anH experiments have
been guarded closely. High officials
have been free to assert privately,
however, their belief that the u
boats would be checked sufficiently
by early summer to insure a steady
flow of American troops and supplies
to Europe with few incidents such as
that OF the Tuscania to be anticipat-
ed.
Admiral Jellicoe went further than
any other official by predicting that
the submarines would be killed" by
August. At the same time, however,
he warned that heavy ship losses
were to be expected up to that time
Secretary Baker has insisted before
the Senate committee that million
and half American troops could be
taken to France and kept supplied
during 1918, His replies to the
questions as to where the tonnage
for the task was to come from have
indicated that there was some infor-
nation at'hand which he did not care
to disclose.
Lines of Effort Bearing Fruit. =
Without disclosing any OF the new
implements that may have been de-
veloped to meet the submarine men
ace, navy officials have pointed out
that all Of the lines of effort started
when the United States entered the
war are now on the point OF bearing
fruit. Additional destroyers and pa
troll boats are beginning to come for
ward rapidly. In some cases more
than 4, years time has been saved in
destroyer construction. Swfter
more heavily armed vessels, fitted
With every device that has been
evolved, are being; rushed to the sap
port OF Vice Admiral Sims hotill.l
With the complete mobilization Of
all these agencies against an enemy
already severely hampeicd by tho
skill and daring Of American and
British patrol fleets, it is pointed out
that greater repression OF the sub
marines is certain to follow, even if
no master weapon has been evolved
AT the same time, however, 1t is cvi-