The Guardian AND EVENING STAR, With which, is incorporated “The West Coast Times.” TUESDAY, MARCH 1st, 1921.

Hokitika Guardian, 1 March 1921, Page 2

The Guardian AND EVENING STAR, With which, is incorporated “The West Coast Times.” TUESDAY, MARCH Ist, 1921.

THE NAVAL MARGIN IN THE AVAR In a recent publication circulated and under review entitled ‘‘The Victory at. Sen,” writ on by Rear-Admiral Sims of I the U.S. Navy, in collaboration with | Air B. .1. Hendrick, we aro made toj realise what a narrow margin separated the Allies from defeat in the earlier part of 1917. When Admiral Sims first visited England he was under the impression that the British fleet had the naval situation well in hand. Lord Jellieoe showed him a secret paper, giving a list of the total losses of tonnage during the past few months; this made it clear that Britain would actually be faced with starvation if the rate of sinkings were long maintained. ••.It is expressing it mildly,’’ observed Admiral iSms, "to say that l was surprised by this disclosure. T was fairly astounded, for I had never imagined anything so terrible. 1 expressed my consternation to Admiral Jellicoe. ‘Yes’ he said, as quietly as though lie were discussing the weather and not the future of the British Empire, ‘it is impossible for us to go on with the war if losses like this continue.’ . . ‘lt looks as though Germany were winning the war,’ I remarked. 'They will win unless we can stop these losses, and stop them soon,’ the Admiral replied. ‘ls there no solution for the problem?' I asked, ‘Absolutely none that we can see now,’ Jellicoe answered.” Admiral Sims immediately urged his Government to send a squadron of destroyers ' to British waters* There was some opposition at first to his proposal, partly because the authorities were reluctant to leave the American coast unprotected, partly because in certain official quarters there Was not a little jealousy of Britain, a jealousy which was revealed at the proceedings at the Naval Inquiry last year. However, th ( > destroyers wer’sent, and were stationed

at Queenstown under Sir Lewis Bnyley. Incidentally, we are told that many stalwarts in Cork and Queenstown were intensely hostile to the American sailors, even attacking them in the streets. Th P hook gives a most interesting account of the efforts to combat the submarines—the work of the swift ‘sub-chasers’ lirouglit over from \merica and manned by American lads fresh from college, the great minefield laid by the America ns in the North Sea and the convoy system which was adopted largely as a result of Admiral Sims’ representations. When it was first suggested the mer-

chant captains doubted their ability to conform to its elaborate and exacting requirements, but Admiral Sims had a higher opinion of their skill than they had themselves and his confidence was abundantly justified by the event. He and his collaborator describe the naval achievements of their fellow countrymen without a trace of boastfulness or vainglory, and lose no opportunity of speaking in terms of the most generous appreciation of their British colleagues.