TO FIGHT SUBMARINES

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2545, 20 August 1915, Page 5

TO FIGHT SUBMARINES

REPORTED ORDERS FOR FAST LAUNCHES. ACTIVITY IN AMERICA. The "New York Evening Post" of July 7 says i^It was learned to-day that the reports which have reached this country from Canada of the sailing of a fleet of ten American-designed submarines for' England were only partly correct. .The boats were built at the VickersMaxim. yards,' on tlie St. LawreJice, near Quebec, aiid the only parts which , came from this country wsra the motors, which were built by the' New London Ship and Engine Company, - of New London, Conn., a concern which is affiliated with tiio Elco Boat Company at Bayonne: Contractors in the United States, who are building parts for these submarines, and for other ~ submarines under construction abroad, are loath to discloso details of their connections with the warring Governments,' and they were much disgruntled at the publication of the story, describing the sailing of the first contingent of Canadian-built submarines, destined to augment the British, iinder-water fleet. They liavo tried to maintain as close secrecy as possible, and have frequently denied. all kpowledge of such contracts. They have considered /their position a most delicate one ever since the Federal Government conveyed to Charles M. Schwab a hint that it did not care to have him exeeuto a contract with the British Government for complete submarines to be turned out in American yards. In deferenco to tho Administration's wishes Mr. Schwab abandoned the contract.

Notwithstanding this, however, it is understood that an American concern has obtained from- tho British Government an order for a large number of extremely fast, small motor, boats, which are to bo employed as submarine detectors, to patrol the British coasts, on the look-out for submarines. These craft, it is said, are to be provided with! small machine-guns and steel-shod beaks or rams, so that, upon sightiug a periscope, tliey can break it b,v firing, , and then attempt to ram the. submarine. Inasmuch as tlioy jtvill carry small crows, and bo comparativelv inexpensive, it is thought that they will be extremely useful and efficient for this dangerous work, which is now being done—when it. is being done at all—by destroyeis, vessels worth half a million dollars or moro, and carrying from fifty to soventy-fivo raen..

What firms in tliis country obtained contracts for these submarine detectors and destroyers is not known. According to reports, the British Government placed contracts for a number variously stated at from several hundred up to a, thousand, a great many of which, if not all; - were to be built in the United States. . . Similarly it has been difficult to track the contracts for submarine parts, save in the case .already mentioned, of the Vickers-Maxim boats, which are equipped with engines -hi mod out by the New London Ship and Engine Company. It is understood, however, that a number of American firms havo contracts for additional parts, motors,: electrical machinery, and interior'fittings.. But no firm in the United States has ventured to disregard the neutrality laws against building and fitting out complete war vessels for belligerents.'