The Washington times., 1918-07-28

sharpness Of tie defense measures of the "
enemy, which perhaps viii further in
crease as the war progresses.
How have we attained this great vic HO
tory-for it is a real victory-in defiance
of what once. seemed an insuperable menacef
By the use Of fast warships acting in efficient
combination, by the employment Of great num-
ber of ingenious scientific devices, and above all
by the exercise of endless courage skill and en-
durance The allied navies have closely cooper
ated with our own in bringing about this result
The security Of our transports is not the out
come Of any one device that foils the U-boat, but
Of the intelligent use in combination of great
number of devices and methods which have been
proved effective. 1t is not permissible to state
fully what all these methods are but it is patri-
otic service to describe such as the authorities
do not wish to conceal, because the knowledge
win increase the confidence Of our people in the
safety of our soldiers
The system of conveying transports by de-
stroyers and other war vessels has been brought
to the highest degree of efficiency by the United
States navy, and is probably RESPONSIBLE more
than any other single factor for the great secu-
rity which our soldiers have enjoyed
1t is now possible to give general idea Of the
manner in which convoy is formed. The for
nation is complicated and calls for high degree
of skill IN the naval officers controlling it. The
convoy steams in V-shaped formation.
At the head Of the convoy steams a swift de-
stroyer, and following this is a light cruiser.
which acts as the flagship of the formation. This
in the case of the American navy is frequently
an armored cruiser of the Colorado or the Ten
nessee type. Astern of the cruiser is another
torpedo boat, which tows at the end of light
but very strong steel wire a captive balloon
This craft forms the point of the ''V" forma-
ton; and behind it are placed the two diverging
lines of transports, merchant ships or supply
ships which follow each other, not bow to stern,
but disposed diagonally. This arrangement is
called zen echelon," and is intended to avoid
the danger of a collision. At the stern of each
ship is towed spar or buoy, which is there to
tell each succeeding ship how far it is astern Of
the preceding one-an absolutely necessary pre-
caution at night or in foggy weather Down
through the centre of the "V" is line of armed
trawlers, while another line steamS on the other
side of each column of merchant ships.
Slightly astern of the convoy and at about the
centre of the base of the ''V'' is a destroyer
which tows another observation balloon. Finally,
to complete the protection, several destroyers
steam in a zigzag course well out on each wing
of the convoy.
The destroyers are of the fastest and newest
type. By igzagging they cover a large area
and are able to meet and destroy U-boats before
they can come near the transports The observa-
tion balloons flying high above the water possess
the well demonstrated power of seeing U-boats
beneath the surface which are not visible from
the deck Of a ship. There are also hydroplanes
upon several of the conveying vessels.
Much interest has been excited by the an
nouncement that enormous mine fields have been
sown in front Of the German ports, which men,
ace the submarine going out and returning home.
Mines had already been used largely, but they
are now employed on scale that was not dreamed
Ct before this season. This measure was carried
out by the British navy in combination with the
American.
The mined area includes no less than 121 1882
square miles in the North Sea. It is not expected
10 stop every submarine, but it causes a serious
amount of losses, and in combination with other