Evening star., 1939-10-04
BY JOSEPH S. EDGERTON.

BY JOSEPH S. EDGERTON.
The German submarine cam
paign, already playing havoc with
the worlds shipping, although far
more advanced than at the start
Of the World War, has attained
less than a third of the scale of
the U-boat campaign of late 1917
and 1918, according to estimates
received here.
When hostilities against France
and Great Britain started a month
ago Nazi Germany had a total of
between so and 60 submarines COM
pleted, according to the most re-
liable estimates available, and Is
credited with having had q of
these submarines at sea.
Reports shortly before the out
break Of the war credited Germany
with so completed submarines and
21 In various stages of construction.
At the start of the World War in
1914, however, the German Navy
had no submarines ready for sea
service, and 1t was not until the
second month of the war, in Sep
tember, 1914, that her first sub
marine left the shelter of the Kiel
Canal for the high seas, and in
that month only two of them were
sent out.
13 in August, 1915.
After year of the World War, in
August, 1915, Germany was able to
put force of only 13 submarines
on sea patrol. She had % more at
dock and 9 were building, or a
total of IS submarines-about Is
per cent of her total at the start
Of the present war.
The maximum number of sub
marines Germany had actually at
sea at any one time during the
World War was 60, in December
1917. She never again was able to
attain that maximum and was able
to do so then only by a process of
great mechanical efficiency, since
with go U-boats at sea she had
only II at dock and 81 in the sub
mersibles.
The German Admiral Won Ca
pelle, testifying before the Reichs-
tag War Failures" Committee in
1919, said that the total number of
German submarines built, building
and projected during the World War
up to November II, 1918, was $40.
Another listing shows 8l1, includ-
ing U-cruiser, K-44, of which no
details are known and which ap-
parently played no part in the war
Original Design Improved.
The 80 submarines in Admiral
Won Capelle's list includes 276 of
the famous U-boats, l UA-boat, 249
UB-boats, 1872 UC-boats and 90
UF-boats. The VA model apparent
ly was not successful, but all of the
others represented improvements of
the original U-boat design.
The same records show that the
Germans actually built 800 sub
marines, including 10 which were
completed after the armistice for
surrender to the allies under terms
of the peace treaty. There were at
the close of the war 207 subma-
rines building and projected and
212 more merely projected. This
list excludes the U-42, which never
was German warship." This is
believed to be the cargo submarine
Deutschland, which visited Ameri-
can ports prior to our entrance into
the war.
World War records show that
German submarines met the fol-
lowing fates: Lost in the war, 178;
surrendered to the allies, 176; scut-
tied by their crews to avoid cap
ture, IA; ceded to other govern
ments, S; lost en- route to surren-
der, 7; interned and not surren-
dered, 2; broken up in Germany, 8;
total, 800.
Mutinies Ended Sub Warfare.
War losses of German submarines
were distributed through the war
as follows: During 1914, S; 1915, 10;
1915, %; 1917, SO, and 1918, SO. The
rising crescendo of allied victories
over German submarines finally SO
broke down the morale of the u
boat crews that toward the close
of hostilities there were reports OF
mutinies by crews which refused to
put to sea again, the wave of mutiny
eventually spreading to other units
of the fleet.
German submarines were COM
pleted and placed in commission
during the war as follows: During
1914, II; 1915, So; 1916, 1903; 1917
81, and 1918, IS. The 1918 total
however, included 80 commissioned
during November and December
many Of them after the armistice
The German submarine building
project, had the war continued,
called for construction during 1918
OF up to 80 submarines per month
or one day, according to official
testimony.
One Third of Fleet Effective.
World War experience showed
that it was possible over long
period to keep only one-third of a
submarine force actually in opera
ton at sea. Approximately one
third of the force always was at
the shore bases undergoing repairs
overhaul or taking on supplies. The
remaining third was en- route be-
tween shore and sea stations.
If the Germans were able to put
~ submarines on high seas patrol
at the start 0f the war therefore