The first 18 "U.B." boats had a surface speed of only 6.5 knots and only two torpedoes for armament. Although nets were moored off the Belgian coast (see BELGIAN COAST OPERATIONS) and the patrols were numerous and active, these feeble little craft fought the tide rips and navigated amongst the sandbanks of the east coast, sinking ships and raiding fishing fleets. On June 21 "U.B. 6" passed through the Dover barrage and reconnoitred Boulogne. Thence forward the Dover patrol could not keep them out. The "U.C." boats, no faster than the "U.Bs" and totally unarmed, were intended only as minelayers. Their function was to creep at night to some light-vessel or buoy and lay their mines close to it. These mines claimed many victims of all nationalities on the thickly frequented east and south coast routes. After April 1 o "U" boats operated only in the North sea and western approaches. In the North sea the attack was chiefly on shipping of the Scan dinavian Powers. In the western approaches three "U" boats were kept at work between Ireland and Ushant; this service absorbed nine boats, three working, three on passage and three resting.
The liner "Falaba" was torpedoed after 5 minutes' warning with a loss of 104 lives, 57 of them passengers, while the sinking of the "Lusitania" without any warning on May 7 with a loss of 1,198 men, women and children sent a thrill of horror throughout the civilized world. Two U.S. steamers, the "Gullflight" and "Ne braska," were torpedoed without warning in May, and so power ful was the feeling eventually raised in the U.S.A. that the Ger man Government gave way and on June 5 issued orders that large passenger ships were to be spared unless they made deliberate attempts to injure submarines. American indignation flamed up anew when on Aug. 19 the White Star liner "Arabic" was torpe doed without warning with a loss of 44 lives, and to appease America fresh orders were given on Aug. 3o that no liners were to be sunk without due regard to the safety of the passengers. September saw the end of the first campaign in home waters; 166 British steamers and 168 fishing vessels had been sunk, the latter a class which by The Hague Convention should have been spared. France, Russia and Belgium had lost 34 ships between them. Of the neutrals Norway lost 51, Sweden and Denmark 15 each, Holland and Spain two each. These losses are exclusive of those due to mines, by which Holland suffered especially.
The German Government surrendered and at the end of April stopped this second campaign. In this three months the British lost 58 ships and fishing craft from submarines and the Norwe gians eighteen. France also lost three steamers. Throughout the summer of 1916 the "U" boats took part in the operations of the High Sea Fleet, and an attack was made on the ships carrying munitions from Great Britain to North Russia.
Owing to Germany's surrender to the President's ultimatum, tension between her and America diminished, whereas the Allied blockade was bearing so heavily on American commercial classes that feeling grew very bitter against England and a strong pro test was sent from the United States. Encouraged doubtless by this reversal of the situation, Germany decided to renew her war on commerce. A specially severe attack was made on Scandina vian shipping carrying iron ore, and also on ships carrying coal to France and Italy. Between Sept. 1916 and Jan. 1917 inclusive, 17o Norwegian, 29 Swedish and so Danish ships were destroyed by "U" boats as against 86 British sunk in home waters. In Sep tember and October Norway lost 5% of her mercantile marine.
The rate of sinking rose so much that Admiral Jellicoe took the unusual step of writing to the prime minister direct to call his attention to the fact that loss of shipping alone might soon force the Allies to conclude peace. As a result of the conference which followed he was appointed first sea lord to carry into effect the various proposals for dealing with submarines. By that time the tension between the U.S. and Germany had increased again owing to the appearance of "U 53" off Nantucket where, within sight of land, she sank one Dutch, one Norwegian and three British ships.
The Dardanelles campaign provided an excellent object for attack. "U" boats came out from Germany and by the end of May "U 21" had sunk the "Triumph" and "Majestic" off the Peninsula and passed on up to Constantinople. "U.B." and "U.C." boats were sent in pieces by train from Germany to Pola where they were assembled, and by the autumn the Central Powers had five large "U" boats, four "U.B." and four "U.C." boats operat ing in those waters. Mediterranean conditions are most favourable for submarines, and the protests of President Wilson had no effect there, where the sinking of merchant vessels went on without those interruptions which cut the home waters campaign into such well defined sections. In the 18 months from their arrival to the end of Jan. 1917 a total of 200 British, 189 Italian and 52 French ships were destroyed by them. Contrary to Admiral Scheer's wishes the autumn campaign of 1916 was conducted under certain restrictions with regard to passenger ships and sinking without warning in home waters. Only reluctantly had he allowed his High Sea Fleet submarines to participate, but the results ex ceeded anticipation. In October 148,000 tons of British and 164, 00o tons of foreign shipping were destroyed, a total of over 300, 00o tons for all the nations of the world.