EVACUATION OP PETROGRAD.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16154, 7 March 1918, Page 7

EVACUATION OP PETROGRAD.

JAPAN mn RUSSIA.

POSITION STILL OBSCURE.

U-BOAT MENACE HELD IN CHECK.

4th YEAR—2lBth DAY,

ON THE SEAS.

THE NAVAL WARFARE

REVIEWED BY SIR ERIC GEDDES. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (llouter'o Telegrams.) (Received March 6th, 6 p.m.)

LONDON, March u

Sir Eric Geddes (First Lord of the Admiralty), in tho House of Commons, introducing tho Naval Estimates, said that generally tho naval warfare proceeded increasingly in our favour. It continued to be chiefly a trial of strength/ between the onemy submarines and Allied submarines. Wo depended on indisputable information front neutral sources with regard to the certain succoss of othor enterprises. Occasional raids on our convoys and tho English coast were the natural outcome of a blockaded enemy trying to harass the blockading fleet. He believed the exit of tho Goeben and the Breslau from the Dardanelles in January, when tho Breslau was sunk aad tho Goeben badly damaged, was a similar raid. Tho loss of the Breslau was serious for the onemy. Regarding the recent enemy raid in the Dover Straits, Sir Eric Goddes snid that night raids of this kind could always be undertaken by a determined onemy.

GRAPPLING WITH THE U-BOATS

It was commonly believed that the passing of submarines through the I>ovor Straits had been prevented by nets and other obstructions sinco early in tho war, but that was not the case.* Undoubtedly a considerable number of submarines passed through the Straits towards the end of last year. Recontly a more vigorous policy had been adopted, and a surface barrage was maintained across the Channel day and night, in order to obstruct tho passage of submarines, and at night timo patrol boats, numbering over 100, burned flares, so that any submarine attempting to pass on tho surfaco had a reasonable chancc of being engaged.

Sir Eric Geddes reiterated that the submarine menace was held in check, but it was not yet mastered. Submarines were being increasingly destroyed, and he was confident that this increase would continue. He knew that the German submarine crews were gropingly reluctant to put to sea — especially tho North Sea, the North Atlantic, and the Channel. The chances of submarines in those waters returning home were about ono in four, and recently tho British and 1 American were sinking submarines in home waters as fast as they were being built.. Britain and the Allies were now able to devote more attention to the submarines in the Mediterranean. The enemy continued to exaggerate increasingly the tonnage sunk in ordet' to hearten his people. The losses of convoyed ships continued low.

THE OCEAN RAIDER

VALUABLE CARGO ABANDONED

jßy Cable. —Press Association.—Copyright.) l"Xhe Times.") COPENHAGEN. March o. Captain Benson, interviewed, said that the Germans desired greatlv to dash homeward with tho Hitachi Maru, thus securing a rich cargo of copper, tin. rubber, and tea, but they reluctantly decided to sink her, owing to lack of coal.

Tho bread aboard the Igotz Mendi was unlimited and excellent. Donovan, a New Zealand jockey, was ing as baker. The Wolf caught all wireless messages, enabling her to avoid danger, including several armed British transports.

There arc only two horsemen of tho name of Donovan registered oil the New Zealand Racing Calendar—W. J. Donovan, of Hawke's Bay, who holds a trainer's liccnse, and H. Donovan, the well-known Riccarton horseman. The latter, who is a married man with a family, lives in Chester -street, Christchurch.

SEE ADDER'S CREW IN CHILE.

("The Times.") (Received March 6th, 10.35 p.m.)

VALPARAISO, March 5,

A Chilian schooner has landed at Talcahuano (Chile) 58 of the officers and crew of the Seeadler.

They are from the schooner Fortuna, which was wrecked in the vicinity of Easter Island.

The Seeadler was wrecked on Mopelia Island, in the Society Group, on August 2nd. The balance of the S«eadlor's crew, who were marooned on \the( island when their vessel was wrecked, captured the French schooner Lutece on September 2nd while that vessel was visiting Mopelia Island with labour and stores. So far the Lutece has not been located since her capture. The other members of the crew of the See Adler, with Count von Luckner, the commander of the vessel, who had left her before she was wrecked, were captured in a launch about 15 miles from Levuka, Fiji, on September 12th.

RAIDER HEAVILY ARMED. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) COPENHAGEN, March 5. A sailor among tlio captives on the Spanish steamer Igotz Mendi states that the Wolf had four torpedo tubes and seven 9in guns, all hidden, so es to make the Wolf appear like a cargo steamer. She carried 500 mines. Her main object was to mine various points overseas.

Dealing with anti-submarine operations, ho said that tho Allied Naval Council had decided to extend those methods utilised in home waters, where they had proved most successful, to tho Mediterranean, whore the main operations had now been placed under the charge of Vice-Admiral Calthorpe. This was ono of the first fruits of the Allied Naval Council, from which it was hoped to derive material and increasing benefit. The British were establishing at various points in the Mediterranean, and in the Adriatic largo works for combined aerial and naval warfare. British naval officers, at tho request of tho Greek Government, were assisting in tho reconstruction and reorganisation of the Greek navy and dockyards.

Sir Eric Ceclcles emphasised the cordiality of relations between the Allied naval heads. He announcod that tho forces in European waters would shortly be augmented by Brazilian warships. He dwelt especially on the close British and American co-oporatiou.

THE MERCHANT SHIPPING PROBLEM. Tho losses of merchantmen were still tending to decrease. The loss in tho world's tonnage during February was just over /ialf that lost in the previous February. Tho loss during the past live months to the end of February was 10 per cent, less than for the corresponding five months.

The output of ships in Britain in January amounted to only 58,000 tons, but it was hoped that the output in February would bo double that amount. The main cause of the decrease was labour troubles. Unless there was a speedy improvement, the point at which production would balance tho losses would be dangerously postponed. Sir Eric Geddes emphasised the fact that Britain must rely in the coming critical period upon her own resources, for some, considerable time must elapse before the desired American output materialised.