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this. We are told by
Americans returning
from England that several
hundred have been
sunk or captured. I have
in mind a particular
story. A man said there
were two hundred submarines
lying in one
English harbor. I have
good reason to believe.
however, that reports of
the number of German
submarines lost are
grossly exaggerated and
that since the beginning
of the war and up to tinfirst
of May. H)ij, not
mure than one hundred
in all failed to return to
their bases!
There are, in (icrmany,
today, at least
five hundred ways upon
which submarines can
be constructed. This includes
all the ways in
the Germania shipyards
at Kiel anil in the big
MEETING THE SUBMARINE PROBLEM 697
yard at Dantzig. That
means that if Germany
disregards the constructs
m of every other type
of ship, she could always
have five hundred submarines under construction.
I know also that sites have
been selected in Germany for the laying
down of five hundred more ways for the
construction of submarines, should it
ever be decided to turn out such a staggering
number.
Now. as to her ability to build these
ships; to lay the hull is easy, but the construction
of the engine is more difficult.
Remember, though, that Germanv can
build the Diesel engine quicker and better
than any other country. A third
point of construction is the delicate accessory
apparatus—the periscope and the
gyroscopic compass. Neither of these
accessories can be turned out as quicklv
as the hull or the engine. They require
Missed by Ten Feet!
This remarkable photograph was snapped by the officer of a French passenger
steamer recently. No submarine had been seen, and no warning had been given.
Suddenly this death shark of the deep appeared irom behind, traveling twice the
speed of the steamer. The officer took the photograph, expecting that moment
would be his last, but providentially, the torpedo became deflected slightly, and
missed.
extremely delicate and extremely long
labor. The fourth and last point to consider
in regard to Germany's ability to
produce submarines is the matter of
equipping the craft with officers and
men. Any mechanism of war is worthless
unless it is in the hands of trained
intelligence. In such hands, it becomes
terrible. To train officers and men to
operate submarines takes many weeks.
This is another check on Germany's
ability to cram the oceans with U-boats.
I know, however, that Germany has
no difficulty in obtaining officers and men
as submarine recruits. There is always
a long waiting list. The German sailors
like the life because on the submarine
they get better food than they do with