Evening star., 1943-06-02
U-Boot Danger
In Atlantic Fudino
Major Eliot Expresses
Confidence in Aircraft
As Defense Against Subs
By Maj. George Fielding Eliot.

By Maj. George Fielding Eliot.
1t is too early for uncontrolled optim-
ism, but there are signs that the Ger
man submarine campaign in the Allan
tic Is not as successful as well-informed
circles feared, three months ago, that
it might be. At that time, there was
every indication that the enemy was
turning out U-boats at an accelerated
rate. 1t was recognized that there was
no single answer to the U-boat. Escort
vessels, aircraft and special devices of
various sorts were all badly needed and
there was good reason for anxiety as
to the rate of production of the first
two and as to the effectiveness of the
special anti-submarine devices which
were then in an experimental stage.
In all these respects, it now appears
that our anti-submarine efforts have
turned out better than we could have
hoped.
To begin with, it would seem that
the enemy's rate of production has been
less than anticipated, because of the
effectiveness of air attacks against GEN.
ters of production as we'll as bases. OF
course, the general dislocation of Ger
man internal economy by attacks on
Germany's transportation system has
had something to do with this result.
Next, the production of escort vessels
in American, British and Canadian
yards has been more rapid than was
expected. Not only are the American
De types coming into service, but also
an increased number Of British and
Canadian corvettes and slightly larger
type called frigates.
AS to aircraft the work OF long range
patrol planes is gradually closing the
danger gap" in the middle of the At
lantic. Escort carriers are coming into
service in larger numbers and are able
to provide continuous air protection for
the conveys to which they are attached,
Experiments with helicopters are pro-
ceeding and give promise of being able
to provide merchant vessels, even those
proceeding singly, with IAN eye in the
air." which will prove invaluable in
dealing with the U-boat
In fact, so dangerous do the Germans
AAAAA Wiz GAL PAdAlC do dll dllUl submarine
weapon, that 1t is now reported from
London that orders have been given
German U-boat captains not to sub
merge when attacked by a plane but
to stay on the surface and tight it out,
endeavoring thus to destroy as many
planes as possible. It is further re-
ported that German submarines have
been allotted a very considerable in
crease in their anti-aircraft armament
in order to enable those instructions to
be carried out.
AS to the various special devices now
in use or coming into use, no details
have been published, but offlciA utter
ances on both sides OF the Atlantic
suggest that some, at least, of these
devices have been found extremely
useful.
The net result IS perhaps best indicated
by the tonnage figures of Allied losses
claimed officially by the Germans. In
March the Germans claimed that their
U-boats sunk no less than 85O,00O tons
OF Allied shipping. In April the German
claims Of sinkings had fallen to 415,OO0
tons. In May a United Press compila-
tion OF German communicates shows a
total OF $4,000 tons. Now these are, of
course, enemy claims and subject to
suspicion on that account, but it has
not been a German habit to play down
the accomplishments of their U-boats,
which are being represented to the
German people and to the people of
the occupied territories as one of the
main factors which will prevent an AL
lied invasion of Europe Therefore,
when the Germans themselves indicate
a so per cent drop in sinkings as be-
tween April and March and a still
further reduction in May, it is safe to
guess that the U-boat campaign is not
going any too we'll.
1t Is, as previously remarked, too early
to assume that we have the U-boat Sit
uation completely in hand, but it is in
teresting to compare these German fig
ures with the actual sinkings in the
spring Of 1917, when the U-boat cam.
paign Of the First World War rose to its
height. April was the worst month of
that year, with sinkings of 84O,o 900 gross
tons. Then the convoy system really
began to work. Sinkings declined to
$4,000 tons in May, rose a little to
o35'ooO tons IN June, dropped to 495 900
tons IN July and thereafter declined till
an average of 256,000 tons per month was
reached for the year 1918.
That was the effect of the system OF
surface conveys which beat the U-boat
In that war. 1t is possible that what we
are seeing now may be the first effects
OF combined system of surface and air
conveys, which, coupled with other
measures, will beat the U-boat in this
war.
tcopyriEht, 1s43. by New York Tribune, Incl