The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1918-05-24
U-BOAT WARFARE
FAILING RAPIDLY
NUMBER OF SUBMARINES SENT
TO BOTTOM is INcREAs-
ING EVERY DAY.
TEUTS CONCEALING LOSSES
Tables Show That in Last Thres
Months More Submarines Were
sunk Than Were Launched
~ by German shipyards.

Paris. May 14.-The effectiveness of
the German submarine campaign is de-
clining. The German government is
aware of this fact, declared Georges
Leygues, minister of marine, before
| the naval committee of the chamber
of deputies, but has made the great
est efforts to conceal it. He said the
| situation was most favorable and that
the sinking of submarines in the first
| three months of 1918 through allied
| measures was greater than the NUM-
Der built by the the ienemy.
Minister Leagues referred to the
statement made in the reichstag on
April IL by Vive Admiral Won Capelle,
German minister of marine, in which
he said 100000 tons of allied shipping
were sunk monthly, This figure, the
minister said, was incorrect.
Table Is Given.
It was reached and passed in April,
May and June of 1917. In July it de-
clined and in November it fell below
100000 and since has diminished con-
tinuously. The minister gave out the
following comparative table of the ton
mage claimed to have been destroyed
by Germany and the tonnage actually
lost in the past five months.
Month Claimed by Actual losses
Germany
December .702, 900 tons 3S6,277 tons
january .632, 900 tons 302 459 tons
February .6S9,0OO tons 49,, 422 tons
March -. .6S0,0O0 tons 35SO0O tons
April. .... 100000 tons 26S, 7O4 tons
Zone Becomes Safer.
Leagues said that in February,
March and April 3,T23 French steam
ers and 7SS French sailing vessels
passed through the danger zone where
a few months ago losses by torpedoing
had been very heavy. Not single
ship was sunk.
On the other hand, he said, the num-
Der Of submarines destroyed had in
creased progressively since January
in such proportion that the effective
ness of enemy squadrons cannot be
at the minimum required
by the regulations. TIE number of
enemy U-boats destroyed in January,
February and March was far greater
In each month than the number con-
structed in the same month. In Feb
ruary and April the number of subma-
rines destroyed was three less than the
total destroyed in the previous threes
months.
Are Due to Method.
The results, the minister declared.
we're due to the methodical character
Of the war against submarines; to the
lose coordination of the allied navies;
% the intrepedity and spirit animating
he officers and crews of the naval
and aerial squadrons and to the inten-
,ification of the use of old methods and
he employment of new ones.
Must RedoubIe Effort
"The situation is mos favorable"
he minister continued, but it does
lot. authorize the slackenIng of effort.
Rather, it is necessary to redouble it
Is the enemy has put new submersibes
nto service and is trying a fresh Of
'ensive in which he plays for his last
stake.
1.-The sea front has no communique.
The country does not,know the terrible
ife there when great events occur. Yet
t is there that is being played one of
he parts which has the greatest in
luence ON the duration and issue of
he war. The country knows that mas
cry of the sea is the certain guage of
-ictory. 1t should know $50 that the
mastery belongs to the allies, who have
Won it and who will keep IT, thanks to
he heroism of the sailors who are
worthy of their soldier brothers,