The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1918-06-18
OIL SUPPLY Of
ALLIES PER|LED
BY SUBMARINES
U-Boat Raiders Are Menace
to Fields at TampiCo,

TAMPICO, Mexico-lt is not sur
prising that the appearance OF German
submarines off the north Atlantic coast
excited the greatest uneasiness on the
part Of the American and British oil
operators of the Tampioo region. The
TACT that IL is from the ocean loading
pipe lines, extending outside the port
Of Tuxpam, about l20 miles south OF
Tampico, that the fleets Of tank steam
srs take on their cargoes OF OIL that
yoes to supply the British naval YES
sells in the North sea and other parts
pf the world with fuel makes the pos
bible interruption OF this traffic by sub
marines OF much moment
Ocean Lanes Guarded.
II Is perhaps an open military secret
Rhat the ocean lanes Travelled by these
boil carriers are well protected It may
Aiso be mentioned that every possible
precaution against submarine raids in
khese latitudes has been taken by the
hawai- authorities Of the United States
Ind Great Britain.
Besides the great amount OF fuel oil
That is exported through the floating
bea pipe lines off the port OF Iuxpam
And Just to the north OF there, near
Lobos island, enormous quantities OF
The product are shipped through Tam
pieo, most OF the latter being destined,
however, TO the United States and
South American countries, There has
been a steady increase OF oil expo-ta-
hons from Mexico during the last few
months. The figures for the month OF
May were about 100000 barrels, as
compared with about 100000 barrels
for the preceding month.
Rumors of U-Boat Bases.
Rumors have been current here for
eeveral months that Germans were
preparing a base on the Mexican coast
for the arrival OF submarines which
|were TO operate on this side OF the At
1antic. 1t would be easily possible for
such base to be established in isolated
nooks along the coast OF Campeche OF
between Tampico and the mouth oI
the Rio Grande. Theer are hundreds
of miles of coast where human habita-
tions are so unfrequent and so fay re-
moved from communication with the
outer world that the chances of dis
covery would be small.
Despite the fact that Germans have
been busy with propaganda work IL
Mexico ard have brought their strong.
est pressure to bear on President Car
rama in an effort to secure his friend
ship for the German cause, il is I'm
portant to note that shipping interests
here are not of one accord in believing
that a submarine base exists upon the
Mexican coast
Opinion Is Divided.
Opinion is divided as to whether The
new submarine operations are being
conducted from some point in Mexico
or from base that has perhaps beer
established somewhere in the West In.
dies. In support of the theory that the
West Indies are being used for that
purpose il is argued that il the base
was upon the Mexican coast the un,
dersea vessels would have struck at
the fuel oil traffic in an energetic way
ere this instead of voyaging all the
way TO the upper Atlantic to try to
get in their shots.
In answer TO this il is stated that il
Is probable that whoever may be direct
ing the U-bPat campaign upon thi,
side of the Atlantic is possessed of the
knowledge that an attempt to destroy
the ocean traffic of fuel oil that is car
ried on out of Mexico would be fraught
with too much danger tot justify the
effort
a