For instance, they have lately sunk so many fuel oil ships, that this country may very soon be in a perilous condition--even the Grand Fleet may not have enough fuel.

Of course the chance is that oil ships will not continue to fall victims to the U-boats and we shall get enough through to replenish the stock.

But this illustrates the danger, and it is a very grave danger.
The best remedy so far worked out is the destroyer.

The submarines avoid destroyers and they sink very, very few ships that are convoyed.

If we had destroyers enough to patrol the whole approach (for, say, 250 miles) to England, the safety of the sea would be very greatly increased; and if we had enough to patrol and to convoy every ship going and coming, the damage would be reduced to a minimum.