The Ensign SATURDAY, MARCH 23, 1918. THE SUBMARINE MENACE.

Mataura Ensign, 23 March 1918, Page 4

The Ensign SATURDAY, MARCH 23, 1918. THE SUBMARINE MENACE.

. Though the German method of conducting the warfare against shipping lias yielded, from the enemy’s point of view, results over which ho gloats there are. signs, according to naval authority, that it has been far from attaining the success that the assassins of the sea hoped for. The Allies have shown increasing success in dealing with the submarine and the task of replacing destroyed underwater pirate craft must, ho more and more difficult as the /war progresses. Naval circles in England, according to papers received by the last mail, believe that the Germans Avill shortly lie found making desperate efforts to send commerce raiders out to sea, to carry the war against shipping into a wider area and conduct it in a. fashion quite different- from that of mere submarine sinkings. There is some foundation for this in the recent exploits of the raider Wolf. The German Admiralty has been greatly disappointed in the submarine results The German' public has been even more disappointed, for it was led confidently to believe that a Jew months of unrestricted submarines would crush England and therefore bring the Entente to its. knees. The immense toll of shipping that was taken in the early weeks of ruthlessness has been vastly 'reduced. Despite that the German public has been led to believe that flic tonnage sunk was much greater than the facts justify, a painful impression Js now abroad in Germany that something is wrong, tnat expectations have not been justified, that the L’-boat is not tin* instrument of assured victory and that the course of the struggle is becoming more and more favorable to the defence rather than to the attack. Recent announcements and analyses have been distinctly encouraging to the maritime Powers. There is a stronger belief than -perhaps ever before that, the undersea beat is finally going to be conquered; that the perfection ol methods, organisation and technical devices avill ultimately render it a comparatively un important menace and that something like the old methods of maintaining blockades will at length be restored. It would he unduly optimistic to assume that the submarine will suddenly be brought into subjection or that its menace'can-be reduced to the point of negligibility during the present war. What ha-s been accomplished thus far is the very great reduction of the dangers which'confront a merchant vessel travelling in the submarine zone. \ This lias been aceompplished by methods that arc in some coses well understood, such as zigzagging, organisation of convoys, and the like. The aeroplane has Ijieen developed into, one of the deadliest enemies of the submarine, while work of the destroyers has become constantly keener and more ■ effective. The result of all these developments is •shown in the increasing rate of submarine destruction, and on the whole the reducing rate of shipping sinking. The rate of naval const ruction to meet losses at sea has been one of the wonders of British accomplishment during the war, when about one-half as much of,naval tonnage has been constructed and actually put into commission as the entire. Navy possessed in August. 191!. In addition to this merchant shipping has been turned out at a constantly increasing rate, so that it is now stated that the rate of production is equal to that of the best year in peace times shortly before the war. The' war is more and more resolving itself into a struggle of attrition on land, on the sea and economically. It is more and more a question of comparative avail able reserves in man-noiver for tin Army, of comparative capacities to • produce and destroy tonnage, of comparative 'abilities to, stand the econo mic ami financial strain. American capacity to, produce men, tonnage, food a'ful supplies is just getting fairly organised for the maximum of effort. Great Britain is perfecting 'plans for a supreme effort in mobilise both its military and its industrial power and give a. demonstration of producing capacity such as even it has not yet afforded. All the world realises now. better than it ever did before, that the .struggle for control, of the' seas is Vital.