SUB TACTICS ARE CHANGED.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 14439, 27 October 1917, Page 6

SUB TACTICS ARE CHANGED.

WASHINGTON, Sent, 22. Convoying of ' merchant ships by American and British naval vessels lias materially reduced losses, it was . stid* to-day officially at the Navy Department. tSome - havy officials believe that the massed; attack by six German submarines on the; convoyed merchant ships of which • the • .American tanker West>reoso M;asj one, indicates a change m tactics by the German admiralty. British and ' American naval strategists, however, are working put a method of meeting massed attacks, It was said officially also that absolutely no information -of any character had been received indicating that sub-

marines would be employed upon this side of the Atlantic.

Navy experts regard the submarine situation as highly satisfactory. Admiral Benson, acting secretary of the Navy, stated to-day that the percentage of destroyed ships is believed to be even smaller sit present than the 0710 half of one per cent, that had been lost up to a month ago. Ships of all Allied and neutral nations are being taken across the Atlantic under the protection of warships. Ships that have come through the Panama Canal joined the fleet leaving Atlantic ports m this country m great numbers. Submarine operations recently m the Mediterranean, around Gibraltar and around the Azores have been negligible. Admiral Benson said. There have been many reports $: proposed new submarine activities, Admiral • Benson declitred. One of these is that huge Üboats will operate m mid-Atlaniic.