The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-07-12
The Fight Against the U-Boats.


Three important statements con-
corning the status Of the struggle
against the U-boats have been made
In England this week. Sir LEO MONEY
announced on July that the tonnage
Of merchant ships sunk had been re-
duced in most satisfactory man.
ner. the convoy system having proved
effective for the protection Of ship
ping to an extent highly gratifying
to the Allies and the United States.
On Wednesday Viscount JELLICOE In
an address in Southampton said:
II made a prophecy somewhat guard
edly some time ago that the submarine
campaign would be defeated by August.
II did not know at the time that my
words would be quoted in every news
paper in the kingdom or perhaps I would
not have spoken in such assured terms.
"To-day. however. although ships are
still being sunk. they are not being de-
stroyed as fast as we are building them,
while German submarines arc being
sunk faster than the Germans are build
ing them.
That Is what I meant when I said
the submarine campaign would be de-
feated.'
This assured statement was sup
ported yesterday BY Sir ERIC GEDDEs,
First Lord of the Admiralty, who in
an address at the opening Of an
official exhibition of photographers de-
plotting the work Of the British navy
included this declaration:
The submarines are now controlled.
Fewer are operating now than for
some time past. The depth charge has
changed the hunters into the hunted"
None of these high authorities, 1t
| will be observed, pretenos that the
! sea has been cleared Of submarines,
that the underwater boats have been
conquered" to use word frequently
misapplied to the results attained in
defence of shipping against them. or
that they do not still constitute n
weapon to be reckoned with. They
| agree, however, that the methods
adopted against them have foiled the
German navy In its plan to drive
enemy and neutral shipping from the
seas. Submarine slnlSings have not
been eliminated from the hazards of
ocean transport, but means have been
found to reduce them below the level
of imminent danger to the cause of
the Allies.
In addition to these statements
from British authorities, we have been
assured by Vice-Admiral SIMS that
the anti-submarine campaign was pro-
crossing In the most encouraging
| fashion.
, 1t is apparent that the German
authorities are pressed at home fol-
explanation Of the failure Of their
U-boat campaign to win the success
which was confidently promised fol
1t when 'ruthlessness was announced
as the policy Of the empire, now
nearly q year and half ago. The
necessity Of ingenious explanation:
alone would account for such dlstor
tons Of the truth as Vice-Admira
Won CAPELLE has been convicted Of
when he misrepresented EDWARD A
F1IENE's statements regarding Ameri
can ship production. Every sailor
and every statesman who read Mr.
FILENE's remarks knew when he sale
on May Z that at would be in the
spring of 1919 before we could catcf
I'D with the losses" that he referred
to the total loss, not to monthly losses
which, as Mr.. FILENE has pointed out
is "a very different story"
Since Mr.. FILENE spoke our shiI
production has been greatly increased
and the capacity Of our yards ha.
been largely augmented. These i'm
provements in production will better
the situation foreseen by Mr.. FILENl
and bring nearer the date at which
new tonnage will supply the place o,
that destroyed. The reduction Of cur
rent sinklngs from the maximum at
tanned by the U-boats in the months O.
their greatest successes will of cours,
contribute to hasten this date
The submarine campaign failed las
year; It's failure is emphasized thi
year. The submarine remains diff
cult problem, not to be dismissed n
merely bothersome or annoying; it
powers are not yet completely under
stood; but 1t Is plain that at presen
It is, in the words Of Sir ERIC GET
pEs, controlled"