Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-11-07
BRITISH NAVAL CHIEF LAUDs WORK
Of AMERICAN SAILORS AND SHIPS
Keennes Technical Skill and Organization Of the Person
mel, Truly Ren,arkabe---S Ships and Equipment All of
Highest Efficiency and Latest DesgnC Close Cooperation
Between Allies Mininizes Menace of U-Boat

mands the present conditions of sea
warfare impose upon this type of craft.
Day and night, wintcr and summer,
they SC0ur the seas. either hunting the
submarine or keeping q careful watch
over the valuable human lives, equip
ment and transports irtruSted 10 their
care 10 escort. | hav1 both Travelled
In and been escorted by American de-
strOyers. and | know their high stand
ard. They are an essential part Of the
Fighting strength of the fleet, and, to-
gether with the cruisers, they are the
watch dogs Of the allied trade and
the terror of the U-bOat.
Ii will convey some idea Of the
strain imposed upon the vessels and
tlelr crews when / tell you that each
American destroyer In European Wa
ters steams between 1900 and 5000
miles a month. For hard work. con-
slant vigilance, and perpetual dscom
fort this record is hard to beat even
IN this great war of universal strain
and hardship.
What ! have said Of the destroyers
applies In no less degree to your SUBJ
marines and your chaaers. Their I'M
firing and constant harasslng of the
enemy has helped to bring the enemy
submarine to It's present position in
which we can confidently say that It IS
now held, though not yet mastered. |
lay great stress on these words. A
great renewed effort on Germanys
part IS impending. We know II and
Of ITS extent, We face ii with that
knowledge and with the steadfast
courage Of our seamen 1t win be met.
Praise for Aircraft.
What your ships of all classes art
doing on and under the surface YOU
aircraft In no less degree are accom-
plishing In their own element. and,
among all the instruments OF war
which are combining to make the life
Of the underSea pirates lntolerable,
there IS none which causes them great
or anxiety and discontinue than the
constantly yigilant aircraft.
So far | have given very brief out
line Of what your various units are en-.
gagged upon, hrt In order to gauge the
fruits Of their labors just bear this
one fact In mind: During the last three
months, seven American soldiers and
their equipment have arrived In En-.
rope every minute Of the day and
night, and their maintenance on top Of
TINT! That is the formidable fact
which the enemy has to face, and that
Is the result Of the exercise Of sea
power by the alliance, to which the
American naval forces are 50 ably
contributing.
II Is n great tribute to American
shlphuilding and to your enterprise
that You are now able to carry more
than half Of these troops In your own
vessels, built In your own country and
manned by your own men. Thanks
to the mercantile marine Of the al.
lies. with their skill, unhnching cour-
age and pertinacity which we cannot
adequately extol, we have been able
10 maintain those sea communications
without which our man power, our
munitions and our food supplies would
have been disintegrated and para
lszed.
Value Of Sea Power.
The record Of the seaborne traffic OF
the alliance Is the clearest proof Of
the value Of sea power about which
your great naval historian, Rear Adj
niral Mahan, wrote so emphatlcally
and prophetlcally, but this result has
only been attained by the splendid her.
nism and endurance of the seafaring
men, whether of the fighting forces or
Of the mercantile marine.
To have had the opportunity OF WIS.,
ting your country In the great war Is
the very greatest honor and pleasure
to Vice Admiral Duff and myself, as
'N'hlIIlE lllt IbIllINI bpu'' Va '''
mirnlty. and II Is an added pleasure to
us that we have come at time when
the allied forces are winning all along
the line, and when we are reaplng the
fruits of the sound naval strategy and
the overwhelming sea power OF the Ill
lied nations.
I cannot close this very brief mp
probation Of the magnificent work
which Is being undertaken by the
United States naval forces operating
In European waters without express
ing on behalf Of the board Of admiralty
fnd the royal navy our affection, In
mnny cnses personal. and our admlra-
ton for your officers md men who'
side by side with us and the other nj
lies, are keeping open the sea COM
munlcations tof the alliance; nre re-
duclng the enemys fleets to Impotence
and have driven his commerce from
the sens. - Lii