The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-11-10


 the extreme case, it may be stated that our conveys wholly immune to the at tack of submarines, it would not make any material difference to US how many submarines the enemy have.
 Unfortunately, we have not enough de- stfoyers to make our conveys entirely safe from attack. It may be said that they are reasonably safe from an at- tack which will be surely successful, or rather from an attack which can be made without great danger to the subma- rine. They can, however, always fire a shot from such a distance that the sub marine itself Is reasonably safe from ob- servation and attack, but such shots have little chance of hitting. If, however, i they do, hit, they do as much damage as i if they had been fired from a short range. The answer to this question il- illustrates the extreme importance of an increase in the number of destroyers in the dangerous zones through which our I transports have to be brought.
 
 Question S-For the purpose of the pres ent war on commerce what further ought to be, done by America in the way of naval activity? What types of vessels are ! most needed?
 Answer-The answer to previous ques- ! tions has, believe, made it clear that :, for the purpose of the present war we l need more destroyers. There are other l types of vessels, such as mine sweepers, and so forth, which are needed, but there ] is no such urgent necessity as for ad- d1uonal destroyers, not only to rehder the transport of our troops safer. but also in order to enable us to carry on a more extensive offensive war against the submarine We would like to use many groups of destroyers, fitted with listen- ing devicas, in hunting submarines when ever their positions are determined. but we are unable to do so to any consider able extent because of the necessity of using these vessels to safeguard our troops and the merchant shipping that IS necessary to bring their supplies. ] Question 9-Has Germany increased the strength of her navy other than in sub- marines since the war began?
 Answer-She has to a considerable ex tent. She has completed vessels that were on the stocks when the war began and she has laid down a certain num- Der of battle cruisers since that time. rms IS also true of Great Britain. so that the relative strength of the Ger man fleet has not been materially in creased.
 question l0-Did Germany acquire any addition to her naval strength through the collapse of Russia?
 Answer-Yes. She acquired certain Rus. san battleships and destroyers in the Black Sea. A number of these battle ships and destroyers were sunk or dis abled by the Russians. Germany may also acquire certain vessels in the Baltic 1 though it is likely that these would he disabled rather than let them fall into her hands. It is possible that she may man the vessels that have been seized Tn the Black Sea- The allied forces in the Mediterranean are, however of great CT strength than any forces that the Germans can bring to bear in that area | through the vessels above mentioned. Question Ills there any available in. formation, of reasonable acuracv with regard to the difficulty which Germany IS reported to have experienced in get ting submarine crews?
 Answer-It is not believed that there has been any material difficulty in this respect, but 1t is believed that the crews of submarines have decreased in eff. clency. As recently stated in the British press, l5o submarines have been destroyed and l50 submarine captains have been in- termed, taken prisoner or killed. Among I these are doubtless the majority of more experienced captains. It is believed that ! in the beginning of the submarine WAT. rare the German submarines were manned oy volunteer crews. It is now believed that few, if any, of the men are volun. teers. Their attacks are not as successful as they used to be. It is believed that the morale of the crews has considerably 1 decreased. It would be remarkable if this were not so, considering the greater num- oers that are being destroyed and the greater strain that is brought on the 1 crews by the multiplication of mine fields and the multiplication of the means of 1 offense.
 question 2-Why are transports west bound not so well protected as trans ports east bound?
 Answer-Contrary to the general i'm , Fression, all transports west bound are given as much protection as practicable If there were no particular hurry about getting American troops to Europe it would be possible to give the outgoing | transports as much protection as inbound ones. This would, however, involve all or the vessels of sn incoming convoy | remaining in port until all of them had been unloaded. repaired. and so forth. | Then all of them could be taken off the European coast with the same escort that brought them in.
 As, however, some vessels must walt their opportunity to unload, and as some ] must be repaired 1t follows that great delays would be caused by all remaining in port until the last vessel was ready to sail. It is, therefore, the practice to send them off in smaller groups as soon as they are ready.
 This necessitates, of course, a less pow erful escort than if +hov all ,,,n~.