The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-10-19
U-BOAT ACTIVITY
SHOWS DECLINE
DURING SUMMER
Rise in Subs Destroyed and
Fall in Shipping Sunk
Incoming Troop Ships Lost.
(By Associated Press)

tBy Associated PreSs)
Oct. 19.--The record Of submarine ac-
Oct. 1S.--The record OF submarine &C
tivity for the summer months June,
July and August. the period most fa-
vorable to submarines is now practic
ally made up and shows two highly
satisfactory results; steady fall in
the allied shipping sunk and a steady
rise in the submarines destroyed.
This summer period has also COW
cred the tremendous arrivals Is equal
ly satisfactory. Not one Of the in
coming troopships lost and every sol
der landed. Such losses as have oc-
Cured have been on outgoing ships
mainly freighters going back with lit
tie or no cargo.
AS the American naval convoy serv-
ice has borne the brunt of this pro-
lection, the results achieved for the
first summer are a notable tribute to
the American fleet. In the Mediter-
ranean there are five of the allied
navies cooperating in the protective
service; French, British, American,
Italian and Japanese. Here on the
Atlantic coast, however, the French
and American fleets furnish the con-
voys and protective service and along
800 miles of the front the American
service has a foremost part, particu-
larly in the huge movement Of troops
and supplies from America.
, 100000 Tons Lost.
The record of tonnage losses for the
summer will close around 100000 tons
or about $4,000 tons less than the
monthly losses at the opening Of the
year and 100000 tons less than the
H., J., To-, hn
es stood at about 100000 tons. They
mounted steadily through February
and March until the March total was
around $4,000. Then a sudden drop
began and in April the losses were
down to 100000. Again they mounted
slightly in May to 100000 Then
there was another fall to 100000 In
July they stood at 100000; and this
has been the level to the close Of the
summer.
The percentage of losses on the At
lantic route since the convoy system
began May 20 last is less than that OF
any other route. In the Mediterran-
can the percentage of losses is about
one and one-half percent and on one
exposed route 1t runs up to Is percent
But on the Atlantic route where the
American convoy is chiefly the per-
centage of loss is around one percent.
As to the loss of submarines the one
fact known definitely is that they are
being destroyed faster than they are
being built. But there IS not the
same exact data as to the fluctuations
OF losses as these are carefully con-
cealed by the enemy and the loss OF
an underwater craft is much less APP
r,lrent than on the surface. But a
4 city accurate check is kept on those
Mich disappear and the new ones
taking their places.
Among the new ones are U-139,
U-141 and U-142, built at the Ger
mania Krupp yards at Kiel. They
have a length of about 315 feet with
16 knots speed on the surface and
knots under water. They each mount
four guns and two machine guns and
have four five hundred centimetre
torpedo tubes, the forward and two
aft. But the appearance of new boats
in no way keeps pace with the loss
OF the old ones, which are crippled or
sunk or mysteriously disappear leav-
sing hardly trace as the depth bombs
did their work.
VIENNA. via Basel, Switzerland,
Oct. 1S.-Steps for the organization
of Austria on federalized basis were
proclaimed by Emperor Charles today.
The plan does not include the union
of Austrian Poland with "the indie
pendent Polish state" the Emperor
declared. The city of Trieste and the
Trieste region will be treated separ-
ately, "in conformity with the wishes
of the populatiOn"