SUBMARINES CAUGHT.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 October 1916, Page 10

SUBMARINES CAUGHT.

NAVY'S BIG BAG. Loudon, July 27; As I before told you, the German submarine campaign has lately become more despicable than .ever, for its procedure is to sneak out under the high seas and sow mines. The Germans built a large number of these submersible mine-layers. They carry a dozen mines each, fixed in pits on each side of their narrow deck. Most of these sinkings now are due to these mines, and we have to keep sweepers constantly at work. But the German submarine work is running down. At any moment it may break fortfy in intense and ruthless activity, but for three months it has been of small importance. No doubt the lack of spectacular sinkings, such as the Lusitania and Persia, is due in part to Bethmann-Hollweg's policy of placating American and doing what is possible to create a peace atmosphere. But the only check upon the sinking of merchantmen and transports is the check imposed by our own Navy; and this 1 is considerable. Our toll in German submarines is already fully 150. They go on building, and we as steadily go on sinking. ;lt is reported—with what truth I cannot ascertain —that the whole crop of newest German submarines, which were to be so large that our furthermost waters could be reached without trouble, was a complete failure. Our information is that when commissioned, these submarines were found to be faulty in design and construction, and so slow that a speed of six knots under water soon became their maximum. In any case, we may be sure, our Navy would have had little difficulty in sinking them, for we have now so many methods that sinkings are an everyday affair. . The German. Navy is still cheeky and aggressive. It has been capturing vessels in the North Sea, sinking our humble fishermen a«n, darting out oecassionally towards the English coast. The explanation, I believe, is simple. True, it is vexing to find the enemy stealing a Harwich liner from under our very noses, but we ,mu»t remember that the Berlin Admiralstab is desperately anxious to have the public believe that the German Navv is active. Therefore, they send out small squadrons from their bases for short distances, and even - sweep up an elaborate mine-field to' enable them to capture one small boat. A typical instance of the way they lie is worth giving. They announced yesterday that the light cruiser Medilli, better known as the Breslau, engaged a Russian squadron, including a battleship, for four hours in the Black Sea. What really happened was that the Breslau was chased for that period. Evidently she }iad a long start, and her speed enabled her to escape. .