Evening star., 1918-07-31
Ten Factors Described
as Chief Conquerors
of German Submarine
By r. DECKER.

BIZ "A. b. DECKER.
Cnblegram to The EveninS Stnr and
Chicago Daily News. COPYRIGHT, 1913.
AT A FRENCH SEAPORT. July H.
Recently Gen. March announced that
the number Of Americans In France was
1.253. 900. Since then few more thou
sands have been added. These troops
were brought across the ocean and
hence the last few months have seen an
enormous increase in the oceans trafic.
Despite this increase, which has given
the German submarine greater num-
ber Of chances, the number Of ships sunk
has decreased. while the number Of
submarines destroyed has increased.
Now at last the allied construction Of
new ships and repair Of old craft have
surpassed the tonnage sunk. There is
every reason to believe that the inflow
OF American troops can be constantly
increased; better than this, they can be
supplied with q superabundance Of food.
munitions and the armament necessary
to bring the war to q speedy and suc-
cessful conclusion.
Chief Factors Against U-Boat.
OF the many factors which have
brought the submarine warfare to Its
present condition, where 1t has ceased
to be a menace and is only . nuisance,
the following, In my opinion. are the
most important: 4
/. The convoy system. An ships,
including sailing ships and fishing
craft, are conveyed. The lata sinkings
have been chiAdy Of slow or isolated
steamers caught early In tho morning
=, n -, q, ty,a ovaufY,o i,, din, Iivht sThe
sinkings are now accidental. It Ia like
walking past q building and being hit
by falling brick
Q. The large increase in the number
coming numerous enough to annoy
the submarines and make their life
above water disagreeab1e and pre-
carious. New vessels Of this kind are
able tofassume the offensive.
Sea Warfare From Air.
3. Seaplane and dirigible patrols.
tSoon the allies viii be equipped for
sea warfare from the air. The sea.
plane stations at drst were 30 scat
Itered that It was . physical hardship
OF American planes has in many cases
permitted the sectors to be divided.
greatly easing the burden ON the
French and British and Irish coast
6IhlIOuS 1u0 ~ LILO 46Iu0 LtIu8 KI68IlY
increasing their effectivenesa re.
Gently a French vice admiral cited q
French airplane squadron which sue
cessfully attacked q U-boat, while al
most at the same time, in the Mediter-
ranean, another squadron forced. the
U-s9 into q Spanish port Dirigibles
offer fine targets, but are practical
with proper wind conditions. i know
of one pilot who pursued 4 German
boat against the wind; though. he Was
unable to get the lead. =
4. Sea sausages towed by trsw1erx.
These balloons are doing good WORK
by discovering mines ahead OF con-
voy1 and warding on submarines
s. Mine curtains. These have beAn
laid and are patro11ed 4 The tide ha6
prevented the mining Of some ports,
6. Lack Of bases TOR German sub
marines. Ssebrugge and ostend, al
though perhaps not absolutely block
cd. certainly have had their channels
30 narrowed that It II not possible Tor
German destroyers. to dash home after
raids on the English coast or ON Dun
kirk. There have been very few
encounters between light naval fbrcea
Oh the Belgian coast In recent weelxa
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