The Watchman And Southron

DANIELS GIVES FACTS.

WARSHIPS IN WAR ZONE FLYING AMERICAN FLAG.

Of More Than One Hundred and Fifty Vessels in European Waters Representing United States Navy.

Cleveland, April 6.—The great fleet American warships numbering more than 150 vessels and including in addition to the far-famed destroyers battleships, cruisers, submarines, gun boats, coast guard cutters, converted yachts, tugs and other auxiliaries, is operating in the war zone.

Manning this fleet, and the many small submarine chasers, which are not reckoned in the total, and doing duty on air patrol and at the supply stations ashore, are 35,000 officers and men, half the navy's personnel when nation entered the war a year ago.

These hitherto carefully guarded facts were disclosed here today by Secretary Daniels in an address at a celebration marking the opening of the Liberty loan campaign.

Mr. Daniels said that while he was not at liberty to tell the toll the fleet has taken of German submarines the navy could "rest assured that our vessels have inflicted telling losses upon the enemy."

As an instance of naval activity, the secretary, "I may cite the work of one detachment of destroyers for a six months period: Total miles steamed in war areas, 1,000,000; submarines attacked, 81; single vessels escorted, 717; convoys escorted, total number of days at sea, 3,000.

The navy has furnished every aid possible that the countries aligned with us in the war have requested or suggested and has worked in closest cooperation with them.

Our vessels have played an important part in the war against the submarines and aided materially in the marked reduction in sinkings of merchant men compared with the number sunk corresponding period a year ago and in the no less notable increase in the number of submarines destroyed."

The supreme command of all the American naval forces in the war zone, said the secretary, are four rear admirals with stations in Europe. They are: Henry B. Wilson, in France; Albert T. Niblack, in the South; Hugh Rodman in command of battleships, and Herbert O. Dunn on special duty.

America's fighting ships, Mr. Daniels asserted, have been self-sustaining with the assistance of repair ships, except for major repairs and docking.

A torpedo station and aviation base also have been established abroad and the secretary announced that American naval aviators are cooperating with those of England, France, Italy and Portugal.