SUGGESTED MEASURES.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15127, 23 January 1917, Page 4

SUGGESTED MEASURES.

As it is known that some of the U boats are remaining at sea for over 40 days, they must be supplied either by some of the so-called merchant submarines or by mother ships* To prevent submarines from supplying submarines, “Shrapnel” thinks it will be necessary to effectively the North Sea and watch the Norwegian fiords, which may be used as bases of supply beyond the lines of nets and the zones of .patrol. The supply submarines,,, may be also getting supplies from America, Merico, Central America, and the West Indies. Mother ships may also be fitted out and supplied for any .of those places by German agents. The only limit to German enterprise in such directions is Germany’s ability to pay. There are many wealthy German-Americans and German institutions in those countries, and, acting under recognition of their outlay by the German Government, apart from patriotic motives, they will use every endeavour to assist the Vaterland by outwitting the official departments in the countries in which they are living. To deal with the menace the Allies will have to increase the number of their secret service agents in thosa countries and arm all merchantmen. They must also build powerful ' aeroplanes, *and use seaplanes further afield in the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, for the purpose of scouting and spotting along the trade routes. '“Shrapnel” does not think, it would be an extremely difficult problem to reconnoitre the surface- of the Mediterranean from one end to the other, peeing that the Allies possess the whole coastline of Africa; and can find means of patrolling the Aegean and Levantine

coasts. Special heavy aeroplanes, carrying easily a sufficient supply of petrol to remain at sea, for a considerable time, could be built. As the enemy has .no war vessels abroad in the Mediterranean or Atlantic, the height to which these powerful machines would have to fiy would not be a serious consideration, and wjiat might be lost in soaring power could be added to stability and cruising time. To defend the outlet and inlet to the Strait of Gibraltar stations could be established on the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts of Morocco. Besides the coasts of Northern Africa, the Islands of Sardinia, Malta, Siffily, and Cyprus, as well as some of the Aegean islands, could be used as aeroplane and seaplane bases. There is nothing that a submarine commander detests more than an aeroplane above him, and nothing that he fears so much as an aeroplane working in touch with fast destroyers and patrol boats. As far as the Mediterranean Sea is concerned, there Seem to be good grounds for supposing that it could .be made a very unhealthy place for German submarine crews, In connection with safeguarding the Atlantic routes, the problem is more difficult, but not by any means impossible of solution. Vessels could be collected and convoyed as a final necessity, but the most obvious solution is the use of seaplanes, cruisers, and the arming of merchantmen. Britain has numerous island possessions where guns and artillerymen could be picked up by trading steamers before they reach the danger zones. Arrangements have already been made by which certain vessels usipg the Panama Canal can pick up guns and gun crews in the East Indies. Britain has solved other most difficult problems during the war, and will v assuredly find a solution for the submarine menace.