The Taihape Dally Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1917. ANOTHER SUPERMAN FAILURE.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 13 February 1917, Page 4

The Taihape Dally Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1917. ANOTHER SUPERMAN FAILURE.

(With which is incorporated The Tai bap* Post and Waimarino News).

It is not too early, nor is there wanting sufficient evidence, to correctly gauge the value to Germany of her promised submarine i'rightiuiuess. It was to be on such a colossal scaie that, aesyite all tne Allies could do to circumvent or minimise it, England was to be starved into submission to listen to . peace UJk in only a fevV weeks, it was never contemplated., or expected by Germany that she could thereby win the war, only in so far as to secure a peace that would enable her to commence to prepare for a more successful effort. Germany's calculations on her submarine ability

are not working out as intended; the German people and naval authorities ate far troni satisfied with the opening result, which was to stupify the world with its -horrors and destruction. Many leaders among our Own people are evidently disappointed also, pleasurable though that disappointment may be. They expected much more, but it has been almost invariably found that German boastfulness is only a true indication when their armies are directed against some weak or small people. Germany must be intensely chagrined at the result 01 the time and money spent on this latest of her wild tangents, the most speculative of all her divinations to win the war. What has she achieved? According to her own statements tour hundred submarines were in the ocean at selected spots, ready to attack vessels on the most used sea-roads. What have they accomplished? They have not sunk a quarter of a ship each yet. The German Admiralty is alarmed, and are already showing their concern and anxiety. Something unexpected and unprovided for has -happened: where are the :-übmariD.es and what are they doing: ::r hundred cf then in aie most, t'n - highways, with their guns and torpedoes, waiting otr of sight, under water, and less than half-a-dozen victims a day, fizzling out 'is the days pass, and becoming annoyiimly less. What a costly and disappointing blunder in calculation some one has made. We may expect to hear that Admiral Scheer or Tirpitz has been banished from the German naval world for such undignifynig and disastrous want of judgment, knowli Ige ami pe: '■■ ;■• These German -v .-! r i ■'■:■' to think LI-.;; »,.,-• :.V . r r,- ' " ;■ ]j![ t Sit 311(3 Ti'i' ' ■'• prepare

iority of intellect and inventiveness •lias been on the side of the British Navy. are daily becoming fewer, simply because the number of submarines are becoming fewer. Unless Germany can immensely increase her submarine fleet, and render it much more effective, she cannot hope to do anything that will appreciably affect Britain's food supply, let alone bring starvation. Torpedoing is decreasing, which means that the British Admiralty's anti-submarine tactics are of a nature that submarines cannot withstand, and they are being given resting-places somewhere on the sea-floor. British sailors of the merchant service are "not alarmed; undismayed they are picked up from a torpedoed ship, and go straight-away and sign on for smother voyage. They are having an exhilarating taste of war; their ships are armed; they know the German sea-crawlefs have a mortal dread of them; they are fired with the desire to go sub-hunting, for that is what a voyage in a merchantman now means, and they sign on with hopefulness and enthusiasm that they may encounter just one more so thn> they may make honours easy. German naval circles do not conceal their anxiety at the failure of their last trump card; they have discovered that they have not enough oil fuel to go round only a very few of the Allied ships, and the vision of a starving England has faded from their sight. They are talking of desperate efforts to open the Roumraiian oil wells; and before the boastful proclamations of what submarines are going to do have died away others about the -nigh seas fleet coming out are filling the air. The British navy has spoilt the submarine game and the German Admiral is angry, and says he will bring out his fleet and destroy Britain's big bullying ships, which interfere with his lit tie under-water sea-beetles. He is not likely to acquire much that is comforting if he fulfils his threat; the British naval men are foo calmly confident for even a German admiral to play silly tricks with, even though they be in sheer desperation. We are

assured from every responsible quarter that this submarine campdoomed to failure, so much so that it is time to begin to speculate on what the next great show-act by Germany will be.