AMERICA'S LINES OF COMMUNICATION.

Taihape Daily Times, 17 April 1918, Page 6

AMERICA'S LINES OF COMMUNICATION.

This process—the only practical process—though it imposes a great strain on shipping, and to that extent aggravates our present food problem, must also make it increasingly difficult for the German submarines to interfere successfully with America's lines of communication across the Atlantic. No doubt the U-boats have been doing their utmost to harry the transports all through the winter, and as the volume of traffic across the "herring pond" increases, we may expect that the German Admiralty will redouble its efforts. Nevertheless, Mr. Baker's estimate that this will mean, a diversion of the enemy's attacks on our good ships must be received with some reserve. For the indications are that Germany attaches even more importance to the sinking of merchant vessels conveying food to Great Britain than she does to the launching of a campaign against the American transports—transports which are certain to be adequately guarded by destroyers and other vessels. Nor have we any reason to suppose that the German Admiralty will be able to grapple with both problems at once without impairing the efficient prosecution of either. Her shipbuilding yards are already turning out submarines to the utmost limft 67 their capacity. And it is worth recalling that our counter measures against the submarines are now proving so successful that there is good reason to hope that we shall speedily be able to say that we are accounting for these pests of the sea as speedily as they leave the German yards.