WHAT AMERICA CAN DO.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 April 1917, Page 5

WHAT AMERICA CAN DO.

NAVAL AND ECONOMIC PRESSURE. London, Fob. fi. There is no disposition on the part of the average' Englishman to view the prospect of America taking a hand in the war with anything more than very sober satisfaction. We do not see how the great nation beyond the Atlantic bring her weight to bear directly upon the enemy. She has a powerful navy, but in the phase of war at sea which has now opened her most powerful ships are useless, for, as Air, Archibald Hurd and other naavl writers point out, the Allies have command of the sea, in the ordinary acceptation of that term, to an extent never before known in history. The navies pf Germany and Austro-llungiiry are bottled up, and consequently the sea-going fleets of the United States, if they were thrown into the struggle, could only make security doubly secure, even if bases were available sufficiently clo-e to the German or Austrian coasts to eliahle them to join in the work of "containment." That development, since the ships cannot live without supplies of all kinds—food, coal, oil, stores of all descriptions and ammunition—would not represent a gain in strength to the Allies, but an accession of weakness. The United States is 3000 to 4000 miles away from the main scenes of the naval struggle, and since there is ample force on the spot, so far as large ships are concerned, we may eliminate from the picture, for the present, the 'battleships and large cruisers of the United States. Their employment on this side of the Atlantic would merely put an increased strain on the available mercantile tonnage, and would increase the number of possible targets for the German submarines. It is the under-sea campaign which constitutes the present problem, and so far as the suppression of German piracy is concerned we may ignore the large ships of the United States fleet, and also her submarines, since apart from casual raiders like the Afoewe, Germany provides no targets for such craft. SUBMARINE HUNTING. America has, however, naval resources which may prove very valuable indeed in submarine hunting, for she possesses in commission and in reserve seventyfour destroyers, nineteen torpedo-boats and thirty gun-boats, and a vast array of pleasure and mercantile tonnage which could be speedily transformed into craft suitable for anti-submarine operations. A recent survey of the incidental naval resources of the Republic has revealed the fact that the United States owns an immense number of pleasure craft, including motor-boats, which might play an important part in sea operations designed to counter Germany's submarine "frightfulness." Afr. Hurd also touches upon the economic possible results of America's entry into the war, especially in the event of her lead 'being followed by other neutral Powers. Holland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Spain are not of the first importance as land Powers, but, as sea Powers they might assist materially to bring the war to a speedy end by the pressure they could exert. The principal South American and Latin Republics would also, as sea Powers, exercise considerable influence on the issue if they determined to' follow the lead of the United States. Norway, for instance, could assist in sealing the northern exits from the North Sea, which German submarines now use, and Spain could render fine service to the south, whilst Brazil and the Argentine could undoubtedly assist in the submarine and raider round-up by entirely closing their ports to enemy craft, and adequately policing the waters immediately adjacent to their territory.

THE ECONOMIC SIDE. Then there is the economic side to be considered. , The United States not only had 1285 merchantmen of 2,852,535 gross tons employed in foreign trade, but she has in nor ports to-day a by no means negligible proportion of the German mercantile marine. That consideration brings us back to the possibility of other neutral Powers following the lead of the United States. Such an event would release a great (leal of German tonnage. The position of the German merchant navy thus becomes one of great interest, in view of recent developments. The following is an authentic statistical statement:— No. Tons. Destroyed 152 452,000 Captured 207 807,000 Detained in neutral harbors 021 2,341,000 In German ports 480 2,410,000 Of the German ships in neutral harbors about a hundred, of 5!)4,G00 tons, are in ports of the United States. The release of those vessels would, of course, ease considerably the economic situation. If other neutral states also declared war on Germany, then the contribution would be far greater, amounting to an aggregate of 2,341,000 tons. President Wilson has entertained the anticipation that if he takes actionvthe other States will follow his lead. Should that prove to be. the case, then over 04 per cent, of Germany's mercantile marine will have been taken from her custody, and the world, which has become acute, would, as Mr Hurd points out, bo so far relieved that the last hopes would disappear of the enemy being able to save himself from economic ruin by beggaring his opponents. FAMOUS GERMAN LINERS. America has a good share of Germany's most up-to-date and expensive craft, in her keeping at the present time. The value of the vessels interned in United States ports is reckoned at not less than £50,000,000. New York harbor alone shelters over thirty Gorman steamers, the value of which is estimated at £28,000,000. Amongst these ships is the famous Vaterland, the world's largest liner, which reached New York on her first voyage at the outbreak of war and had remained there. A mammoth liner of 54,282 tons gross register, it is stated that the loss which her owners have sustained by her enforced stay in NewYork is equal to £25,000 a week. Other well-known German liners in New York include:— Tons. George Washington 25,570 Ivaiser Wilhelm II 19,3*1 Prinzes Irene 10,81)3 Barbarossa 10.804 Friedrieh der Grosae 10,771 Grosser Kurfurst 18,110 Kocnig Wilhelm II 9,410 President Lincoln 18,168 President Grant 18,072 Pennsylvania 13,333 Bohemia 0,414 In addition there is a number of ear-go-carrying steamers of 2000 tons and uptr&rds.