The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-04-24
PRAISES U.BOAT REC0RD.
Won CAPELLE DECLARES BRIT.
ISL CLAIMS OF SUBMARINES
DESTROYED EXAGGER.
ATED.
Refers Lighting to Americas Ton
mage Observation-Disclosures Work of
u. S. Ships.

Amsterdam, April 1S.-Vice Admir-.
al Won Capelle, German minister of
the navy, discussing submarine war
fare before the main committee of the
Reichstag, declared that the new
U-boat construction exceeded the loss
es and that the effectiveness of the
submarines had increased. He quot
ed figures to prove his contention that
the U-bOat sinkings were thrice or
six-fold the tonnage of the new Brit
ish construction.
The minister declared that the
American destroyers. which had been
so much talked about, had failed in
their object. and he is quoted by the
semi official Wolff Bureau. OF Berlin,
as saying with reference to ship
building:
For the carrying out of America S
giant paper program America must
first lay down the ship yards. After
grodigious promises America in 1917
built 100000 gross register tons Of
seagOing ships. The large mercantile
fleet placed on order. America does
not want for the war, but for the
pOstbellum period. when the shipping
program having been in the mean
time carried out, America will become
England's world freight carrier"
During the discussion of naval esti-
mates Admiral Won Cappelle, refer
ring to the submarine war, said that
statistical tonnage calculations now
are virtually superfiuous, as the visible
successes of the U-boat spoke clear
ly enough.
"The robbery of Dutch tonnage,
whereby Anglo-Saxons had incurred
the worst kind Of odium for decades
to come. he said. was the best proof
of how far the shipping schedule al
ready had gone with the Western
powers. To the sinkings must be
added. the admiral declared, the big
wear and tear I'M ships and the enor-
nous increase In marine accidents
which Sir John Ellerman. in the Brit
ish shipping chamber recently had cal
culated to be three times the amount
Of peace losses.
Admiral Won Capelle described as a
base calumny the statement made !.by
Sir Eric Geddes. first lord Of the
British admiralty, that German u.
boat crews were unwilling to put tc
sea, and said the assertions of Brit.
ish statesmen that there had been ex.
traordinarily big losses of U-boa Is
were very greatly exaggerated.
Admiral Won Capelle declared the
new U-boat construction exceeded the
losses and had increased both guam.
titatively and qualitatively. He add.
ed: SCI
I'VE also can continue absolutely tc
reckon on the military achievements
hitherto attained. Whether Lloyd
George can continue the naval wal
with prospects of success depends no,
on his skill, but on the position OF
the U-boat as against shipbuilding. :
Speaking with reference to ship.
building by England to repair the
losses, Admiral Won Capelle said that
in the middle of 1917 there was talk
of three million tons in official quar-.
ters in England; then Lloyd George
dropped to two millions and now, ac.
cording to Mr.. Bonar Law, the outpu,
is 100000 tons
AS against therefore about 100 .OOC
tons monthly put into service there
were sinkings Of 100000 tons, or 81,
fold.
In brief, continued the admiral, il
the figures, given were regarded as
too favorable, and new construction
was assumed to be at the rate OF
ioo,ooO tons monthly, that is SO PEI
cent higher. and the sinking reduced
to 100000, then the sinkings would
still be thrice as large as the new
construction
Another thing must be taken into
consideration" he went on. Hence
forth, every ship sunk strikes at n vi
tai nerve of our opponents. For when
only absolutely necessary cargoes of
foodstuffs and war necessities can be
transported, even the loss of a small
ship has quite a different Significance
as compared with the beginning Of
the U-bOat."
Admiral Won Capelle admitted that
Germany's opponents have had some