THE HUN PIRATES.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 June 1919, Page 12

THE HUN PIRATES.

HOW THEY WERE BEATEN. INTERESTING REVELATIONS. Vancouver, April Jfi. If the European War had lasted sixmonths longer the German submarines 1 would have been out of business. This is the conviction of Franklin D. Roosevelt, Assistant-Sectretary of the United States Navy. Perhaps; the United States Navy did not give the final death-blow to submarine warfare on the sea, says Washington, but the toll of the German undersea assassins went down s/teadily after April C, 1917. When the armistice was signed on November 11 last the U boats were decidedly on the run. Allied and American destroyers.', submarine chasers, aircraft, and other implements and devices were making it so unhealthy for submarines that the most daring commanders seldom showed their craft on the s'trrfaee. As Marshal Foch, General Pershing, General Petain, and Marshal Haig'gave the enemy no quarter and no rest on the land in the last months and weeks of the war, so the AlliedAmerican sea forces gave the U boats no rest on the sea. MADE IT SUICIDAL FOR THEM. "How did we manage to land s:o many men in France without the loss of an occasional transport and many lives?" Mr. Roosevelt was asked. "We simply bo developed the anti-submarine patrol on the water and in the air as to make it suicidal for U-boat commanders to nomo anywhere near the shore or the channels leading to ports of debarkation," was the reply. "It worked about like this. Most of the transports passed through the waters between the Spanish coast and the Irish coast. That stretch of water was patrolled as no other stretch had ever been patrolled before. Gradually, with the building of a series of aviation stations and bases along the French coast from the English Channel to the Spanish frontier, submarines were forced further out. The seaplane pilots 'and observers became highly efficient in spotting submarines. Supplementing tho j aerial patrol were the 110 ft. submarinn j chasers, which proved of the greatest possible value for inshore work. These hunters would go out on their respective beats and listen for U-boats. The mo- ' nient the tell-tale sounds were heard the chasers were off after their prey. i Frequently they would follow a submarine for 24 hours or longer, dropping ilepth bombs when there appeared to bo anv chance to make a hit or embarrass the enemy. P>y this means the U-boats were forced to remain under water for self-protection They had no opportunity to come to the surface for o'b Eervarion, and consequently it was tha exception when they found a target to shoot at." THRTLLING -HUNTS. "

"The speedy, destroyers also engaged in the thrilling hunt for submarines. Many destroyers were constantly employed in tile patrol of the waters between Ireland and the Spanish coast, which takes in the entrance, to the Irish Sea through St. George's Channel, tho entrance to the English Channel and to all principal British ports, as well as French Channel ports and Bay of Biscay ports. All our troop and supply ships passed through these waters. Sometimes (hey entered the zone of greatest submarine danger via one route and sometimes via another. Always they were escorted by destroyers and other swift convoying or patrolling craft,. Occasionally ihe TJ-boafs got a returning transport or supply ship en route home and far out io sea. On a few occasions a British steamship was successfully attacked while'transporting American troops—and they carried about onehalf of the American troops to France — but the number of men lost was negligible in comparison with the size of the force transported. For months before the armistice was signed t T '-boat commanders gave the English, Franch, and Irish coasts a wide berth. They did not flare to come in close enough to threaten the neck of the bottle leading to nnv port in the zone of our operations. Thia means the operations of the allied forces rs well as those of Admiral Sims. When the armistice was sinned the submarine mine barrage, extending virtually from the northern extremity of Scotland to the coast of Norway, was approximately two-thirds completed. German submarines were still able to get out of their home bnjos. but it was extremely hazardous cevn before the barrage was completed, and it is known that several XTboats were lost, trving to run throngli the mines. That this great barrier of high explosives contributed very largelr to the breaking down of the morale oF the German navy is amply proven by statements made since the armistice was signed. The Oerman navy personnel went to pieces long before the morale of the land forces broke. Oerman officers and men knew that they took their lives in their hands every time they attempted to leave the 'North Sea. This was becoming increasingly true before tho mine barrage was half finished. The ceaseless vigil of the aerial patrol, the snb. chasers, destroyers, and other craft was getting on the nerves of the Germans. A submarine must rome to the surface occasionally to recharge its batteries and give its crew air, as well as to make an attack. Tt was becoming hazardous for a U-boat to show its periscope anywhere within the waters through which, troop and supply ships were compelled to pass to reach British and French ports. ' : ONE TOO MANY FOR THEM." "In the face of this situation, with the German sailors always grumbling, came the mine barrage. It was one too many for the enemy, and was in no small part responsible for the widespread mutiny in the Germany navy, which rendered impotent that once proud and arrogant service. Much has been published about the German submarine bases at Zeebruggc and Ostein!, Belgium, This is a mistake. Those two bases were not used by the German Admiralty for supplying U-boats sent into the Atlantic. The English Channel was effectively closed against submarines soon after tho United States entered the war, although a daring U-boat commander occasionally made an attack somewhere in the Channel. Some of the older and smaller TT-boats based on Ostend and Zeobragge, but these were used for attacks on British ships in the North Sea, mostly coastal vessels, fishing boats, etc., and occasionally to shell an unfortified community on shore. Most of the cruising submarines, of course, came out of German bases and home ports. This was primarily because of the fact that it was more convenient and 'iafe to do so, and also because the Channel route was closed to them. German destroyers made occasional d.ashe_§ from. Qstead and Zee-