The U-Boats.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume VIII, Issue 52, 13 February 1918, Page 5

The U-Boats.

POSITIVE ALLIED VICTORY YO C HANGE NOW EXCEPT FOR BETTER. London, Feb. 3. Sir Eric Geddes [First Lord of the Admiralty) has been interviewed by the Associated Press on the subject of submarining. ‘■rhe submarine is held, ’ he said.

“The sinkings are now reduced to a level below anything which has prevailed since the Germans threw off restraint. I think we are now sinking submarines as fast as Germany can build them. 1 cannot fore see any change except for the better but we must have more ships to turn the enemy (failures into a positive Allied victory, because the destruction of merchantmen still exceeds construction, and tonnage demands are increasing by leaps and bounds. Before the end of ISIS we should be building shipping of all kinds at a rate more than double our record pre-war year."

MORE SHIPS FOR VICTORY. Sir Eric Geldes added that much depended on the American shipbuilding efforts. He hoped that her efforts would lie a contribution worthy of the great cause. Referring to the tables of curves which are published from time to time, lie said that all tne curves were bending in the right direction. “The destruction of the Allied shipping decreased steadily, tin* construction of merchant ships increased steadily, and the sinking ol submarines steadily rise-." Sir Eric Geddes explained another curve, namely, the factor of exaggeration in the Herman statements of sinkings. In the early months of unrestricted warfare the margin of exaggeration was fairly small, but with the lessening of the enemy successes of last July, August

and September, German exaggerations began to increase, indicating a fairly accurate reflection of German official confession and their measure of failure. AMERICAN TRANSPORT DANGERS.

Referring to the United States War Secretary’s warning about concentration against American transports, he said that there might probably be heavy losses —as ’ lifesaving in mid-Atlantic was not easy —if they were to transport the proposed numbers, of American troops. But there xvas no exudence that the Germans at present were withdrawing U-boats in preparation for such a concentration. All the evidence showed that there were as many submarines now operating as ever. The decreased losses were due to the steady improvement in the Allies’ anti-submarine methods. “They get few chances, and meet disaster more frequently.” Our policy of secrecy with regard to U-boat losses is one of the chief causes of the steady deterioration of German crews. Even the commanders of submarines are not what they used to be. The brave, capable commanders to-day are exceptions. The average submarine is in no way equal in efficiency to‘the U-boat a year ago.