NAVY GRAPPLING TO MAINTAIN THE SUPREMACY OF THE SEA

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3025, 12 March 1917, Page 5

NAVY GRAPPLING TO MAINTAIN THE SUPREMACY OF THE SEA

i | NO GAMBLING WITH THE FLEET I I DANGER AND DIFFICULTY OF DEALING WITH SUBMARINE MINE-LAYERS Undon, March U. Sir.Edward Carson, First Lord of the Admiralty, speaking at the Aldwych Club, said: "I openly confess that wo havo not yet satisfactorily solved tbo problems, with which tho Navy is grappling, to maintain tlio supremacy of the sea. Nothing is to be gained by exaggerating or minimising the anxieties we feel about tho grave position of the nation to-day. Wo havo to deal with an enemy who has set at nought all the humanities. The manpower of our raco will assert itself, but it must know its task." Ho exhorted his hearers to pay no attention to amateur strategists. We ixiuld not afford to gamble .with the Fleet. If it failed, it would mean the «nd of tho Empire. If tho Germans gambled with their fleet, it would not mean oven the end of tho war. He wo S determined to see our sailors had full scope, without interference. "I am neither a coward nor a pessimist. We will stick it to the end." As an instance of tho Navy's gigantic effort, ho said that there woro one hundred and fifty small patrol boats at tho outbreak of tho war; there were now three thousand. We must not under-estimate tho difficulty and danger of dealing with submarine mino-layers. Mines had been, laid as far as the Capo of Good Hopo, tho Gulf of Aden, and Colombo. '"Die men on tho mine-sweepers, risking their lives ovory moment, are feeding Britain." I do not believo tho tailors of any other country would face those dangers. An honest Englishman would bo ashamed to striko at tho shipyards and arsenals if he understood tho Navy's privations. ~-,,, Half a million tons of shipping had been sunk in February, of which onehalf was British. Ho behoved that still more drastic restrictions on imports would be necessary— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. BUBMARIMI! MORTALITY NOT INSIGNIFICANT. (Rec. March 10, 6.55 p.m.) London, March I). The Headquarters correspondent at Salonika poiutn out that the submarine frightfukesa by. which Germany boasted she would out. off- the Allies. t

Nt Salonika has been a complete failure, as the harbour is full of shipping coming and going with clockwork regularity. The only recent successes were ono British, ono Fjencb, and ono Italian vessel; on tho other hand, the submarine mortality is not insigiiificnnt. The Allies havo not even been compelled to use an alternative route.—Rcutor. HANDSOME GIFT FROM THE NIZAM OF HYDERABAD. | (Rec. March 10, 6.15 p.m.) ,„, t, r, , London, March 9. the I'rcss Bureau statos that tho Government has accopted the Nizam ?r Hyneranad's gift of £100,000 towards tbe anti-submarine campaign —Aus - N./j. Cablo • Assn.-Reuter. AMERICAN SHIPS TO BE IMMEDIATELY ARMED. v -a ,■ wi , ~ , Washington, March 9. iiesident Wilson has called an extra session of Congress for April 16 Ihe mercantile marine will arm merchantmen without C'oncressionul power. b ■a r ' Air?" l6 a , nd tlle Attornoy-Goneral (Mr. Gregory) have advised l resident Wilson that he possesses the power to arm merchantmen. It is understood that the American shipping companies will immediately receive, guns and ammunition, and will prepare to allow their ships to sail— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. , MYSTERIOUS CRAFT SEEN OFF THE AZORES ~,, ..-,.,„ New York, March 9. Iho American freighter Suruga (4:174 Ions) has arrived from Havre. The captain reports that a mysterious craft, of the cargo-carrying type, with two masts and ono tunnel, approached the Su'ruga on February 20 off tho Azores hie steamed in a complete circle louud the Suruga, and then disappeared blio made no signals. Her description is similar to that of "tho.South AtlanticGerman raider.—-Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn. ADMIRALTY ADVICE TO AUSTRALIAN SHIP-OWNERS. T ~ .„ r „ Melbourne, Marr-i 10. In the House of Representatives, Mr. J. Cook (Minister of the Navy) said ho had received advice from tho Admiralty, that, although tho risk of danger from a raider on the Australian coastal routes may not he great, tho Admiralty considers that ship-owners and cargo-owners should act with'prudence in the matter of insurance.—Press Assn.