SUBMARINE PERIL

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2960, 26 December 1916, Page 5

SUBMARINE PERIL

ADDITIONAL VESSELS LOST ■ 1 (Reo. December 24, 5.5 p.m.) London, December 22. The latest sinkings'by hostile sub'* marines-include the British , steamera Mures (3564 tons), Itonuß (5340. tons)# belonging to the 8.1.5. N. Company; no Australians wore on board the \s.U ter. Also the Norwegian. steameU Avona (2896 tons). —Aus.-N.Z. Cablar Assn. (Rec. December 25, : 5.5 p.in.) London, December 24. The Danish, stealers'Nroptatyr andi Dansborg (2183 tons) were sunk. The Swedish schooner Njord'(634 tons)-was torpedoed, and was subsequently found abandoned and drifting; ill a gale.—■ Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. .; > MINED AND SUNK FINNISH PASSENGER STEAMEK r London, December 22. The News Exchange at Copenhagen: states that_ the Finnish passenger; steamer Skiftet was mined and sunk in the Gulf of Bothnia'. . One person, was saved, and 59..105t". . ' .ARMED MERCHANTMEN GERMANY'S DECISION (Rec. December.- 24, 5.5 p.m.) Zurich, December 22. ' ; It is reported'that Germany has de-< cided, in view of Lord Robert Cecil's announcement regarding the arming of merchantmen, that all such vessels be sunk without warning, and the crews treated as pirates.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. I MERCANTILE MARINE ; CAPTAINS RECEIVE HONOURS (Rec. December 24, 5,5 p.m.) . London, December 23. . Following upon the murder of Captain Fryatt, and the capture of Captain Blaikie, His Majesty the King has bestowed Distinguished Service Crosses on ten captains of the mercantile marine and seven Distinguished Servics Medals also to a long list of me# com-! mended for good . service.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.' •' 1 BRITISH SHIPPING LOSSES (Rec. December 25, 5.5 p.m.) London, December, 24. Mr. Norman Hill, writing in "Fair. Flay," the shipping-journal, states that British shipping losses in twenty-seven months totalled twelve per cent, of the , pre-war ocean-going ships and eleven per cent, of the pre-war tonnage. New ships have replaced the greater part of 'the losbos, and the shortage of shipping is due to the Admiralty's use of ships and not to the enemy's destruction.— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. 1 IMPORTANT SCHEME TO REPLACE LOST TONNAGE (Rec. December 25, 5.5 p.m.), London, December 24. Sir Joseph Maclay, Minister in Control of Shipping, has initiated an important two-fold soheme .to revolutionise our carrying capacity. It comprises, firstly, the speeding-up of construction already begun; secondly, a neiw method of ■ quicker construction, by means of standardisation of hull and engines. The scheme is expected to go far to fill the gap in tonnage due to submarine depredations—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. NO INFORMATION ' OP SHIPPING MOVEMENTS, (Rec. December 25, 5.5 p.m.) New York, December 24. . Shipping companies here have fcpen informed that in : future no information would be cabled to America of arrivals and departures of British ships. This precaution is being taken against sub-marines—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. SUBMARINE WARFARE GERMANY'S DETERMINATION (Rec. December 25, 0.20 a.m.) • Paris, December 23.' The "Figaro"' 6ays recent submarine developments explain Germany's quarrel with Norway..... Germany ,is now requiring Holland .to grant a right-of-way through the Lower Scheldt. Germany is so determined to push submarine warfare to extreme limits that she will not hesitate to resort to force in Norway and Holland if they keep up their, opposition.—Aus.-NiZ.- Cable- Assn.-- C. SINKING OF THE ARABIA BRITAIN'S REPLYTO AMERICA (Rec. December 24, 11.50 p.m.) / Washington, December 23. Britain's reply regarding the Arabia, which was sunk, is that she was never in the Government service. She carried some Government .passengers at the Government's expense. There were ap Asiatics aboard except the crew. She had not followed the regular route because of submarines.—Aus.-N.Z.'Cable Assn. FRENCH SHIPPING , (Rec. December 25, 0.20 a.m.) Parts, December 23. The Government is taking over all shipping that carry foodstuffs and coal, ' which warships will convoy.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.. (