The Washington herald., 1918-04-24
An Excellent Stroke.

So much discussion of an offensive against the
U-boat evaporated into nothing that it was gem
orally thought plans of that character had been
discarded by the allied navies. Apparently the
Germans thought SO, too. At any rate, the swift
thrust at the submarine bases at Ostend and Zee
brugge appears to have been decidedly successful
Bottlng up these murderous hornets by sinking
old ships loaded with concrete at the mouth of
channels through which they emerge is a variation
OF Richmond Pearson Hobson's famous exploit at
the neck Of Santiago harbor in 1898, when he tried
to sink the Merrimac at point where it would
prevent Cerveras fleet from getting out. The Brit
ish stroke appears to have been more effective than
Hobson's was. Reasonable success" is reported
by Sir Eric Geddes, Chief Lord of the Admiralty
and Sir Eric is not given to over-statement
The most remarkable part of the raid was the
fact that naval detachment actually was landed
o. <le Flemish coast despite the heavy guns de-
icriing the harbors, and was effective in distract
z >sB the enemy while FIVE old cruisers were blown
% IN the Bruges Canal and an obsolete submarine
hlled with explosives wrecked the ping at the
mole of Zeebrugge. Not since Winston ChurchilPs
ilfated detachment of marines tried to defend Ant
werp in the fall of 1914 has any British force land
ed behind the German lines. Apparently the at
tack was complete surprise to the sluggish en-
emy, and merely foray it will stand as one
The submarine is not standing well upon its
sea legs these days Admiral Won Capelle has tried
TO make the best OF bad before the Reich
stag. seeking TO camouflage the patent fact that
the U-boat has utterly failed Germany, so far as
playing any decisive part in the war is concerned
1t has failed to starve out Great Britain and even
Great Britain any more embarrassment
than occasional panic about the future of her
shipping. 1t has failed to keep American troops
npI,
been sunk, and of them, the Antilles, was
homeward- bound. The naval expert Of the Berlin
LokalAnzciger recently explained" to his readers
that American anti-submarine devices were
making the task OF destroying American ships ex-
cccdingly difficult, il not impossible. He paid a
frank tribute to the excellence of the convoy sys-
tenn OF the American navy.
The dwinding list OF ships sunk by the U-boat
tells its story. 1t has been weeks now since
a single American merchantmen has been torpe-
doed. The British also have been agreebly sur
prised by the diminution of shipping losses 1t is
perhaps premature to exult too loudly over the
present turn OF affairs; but there is every evidence
that the wild beast unleashed by Won Tirpitz has
had most OF its teeth extracted
What was the motive of the unexpected adop-
ton OF offensive tactics against the submarine by
the British Admiralty Does it have anything to
10 with the probable extension OF the German on
>dueHt against the BRUSH and Belgian lines along
the North Sea coast from Nieuport to Dunkirk?
Undoubtedly. Ii the Germans were able to dent
the British line along the coast to the same de-
gree that they have dented it in south Flanders and
Picardy. then the U-boat would have new and
more deadly means OF stealing along under the pro-
lection OF German guns to a point where it could
strike effectively at tho British lines of communca-
hon across the channel 1t in anticipation Of
certain contingencies involved in combined land
Il.
caused the British to act at this time. The result
OF the experiment is so promising that further Of
icnsIve systems should be organized. The Amcri-
can navy. particularly the younger officers, always
have been in favor of striking at the submarine
bases of the enemy. Their theories have gained in
prestige through the coup at Ostond and Zccbrugge
that the British have executed.