JELLICOE CONFESSES

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIII, Issue 18762, 29 December 1930, Page 4

JELLICOE CONFESSES

MAKING WAR SUBMARINES. An extraordinary story of how Britain came to be supplied with submarines during a critical period of the war was told in Belfast by Lord Jellicoe at a luncheon given by the Lord Mayor (says the “Daily Telegraph”). When, he recalled, Audacious was torpedoed about a mile outside Lough Swilly he was in charge of the Fleet, and had brought the liner Olympic into the lough. On board the liner was Mr Charles Schwab, head of the Bethlehem Steel Co., of the United States, who was coming over in connection with munitions which his company was making for the War Office. “I had received a message from him,” continued Lord Jellicoe, “asking for an interview. It was granted, and Mr Schwab explained that he desired to make an immediate trip to London for the purpose of seeing Lord Kitchener in connection with war requirements." “See Lord Fisher. “I said to him, ‘Why not see Lord

Fisher about things for the Navy?’ ” “What do you want?” he inquired. “Submarines, and as many as you can make,” I retorted. “How long will it take you to fulfil such an order?” “I will guarantee to do the job in five months,” he replied. “Well,” I said, “you go to Lord Fisher and tell him what you are capable of doing, and ask him for instructions.” “He went to Lord Fisher, and Lord Fisher gave him the necessary orders, and when he went back to the United States he was met with the news that he would not be allowed to build submarines there for one of the Powers at “Not to be outdone, however, he bought the Vickers shipyard at Montreal, manufactured the parts of the submarines in the United States, sent them to Canada as motor-cars, had them assembled at the Montreal works, and delivered them in five months. “Strange to say,” added Lord Jellicoe, “Mr Schwab was afterwards arrested—of all places in the world—in Belfast, because of his name. He telegraphed to London, and steps were taken for his immediate release.”