BALANCING OUR SHIPPING LOSSES

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3082, 12 May 1917, Page 9

BALANCING OUR SHIPPING LOSSES

STRIKING AND REASSURING FIGURES (Rec. May 11, 8.15 p.m.) London, Way 10. Speaking in the House of Lords, Viscount Curzon referred to tho position_ of tli© British merchant fleet. He reminded tho House that tho Admiralty had first call on shipbuilding. TVhen tho war was over our naval tonfiage would surpass all other nations. The figures for tho merchantmen were as follows: — British Empire Shipping. No. of ships over 100 tons gross. Tonnage. .Tunc, 1914 .... 10,124 50,523,000 Dcc., 1916 .... 9,757 19,760,000 AH Other Countries. Before the war 14,320 -24,550,000 Decv., 191G ... 13,749 24,003,000 _ Pre-War. Dec., 1916. British propor- • tion of tho world's toilage 45.3 45.2 Viscount Curaon added, with regard to vessels of over 1600 tons, that the number of British vossels before tho war was 3900, aggregating 16,900,000 tons, which was more than half the world's tonnage, whereas at tho ond of March, 1917, there wero 3500 ships, aggregating almost 16,000,000 tons. The loss in neutral tonnage was heavy, especially of Norwegian, vessels, hut Japan and Amcrica were increasing their mercantile fleets. On their success would depend the duration of the war. Tho Shipping Controllers' programme envisaged an output of throe million tons annually. Our fleet would then be in a better position tli,an it was before the war.—Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn. THE SINKING ""OF~THE ROTORUA QUESTION RAISED IN THE HOUSE OF LORDS. (Rcc. May 11, 8.5 p.m.) London, May 11. Speaking in tho Houso of Lords, tho Earl of Meatli drew attention to tho sinking of the New Zealand Ijner Rotorua, and said that tho captain was informed of his danger. Lord Lytton (for the Admiralty) said that, where necessary, steps were taken to ensure that valnahlo cargoes wore discharged at tho first homo port. Ho know only of ono other vessel having been sunk under similar circumstances. It was impossible to unload foodstuffs unless storage and handling facilities existed. If tho Rotorua's cargo had been landed at Plymouth the greater part would Itfivc. been lost. — Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. ALLOTMENT OF BRITISH TONNAGE GOVERNMENT TAKES 92 PER' CENT. London, May 10. Speaking in the House of Commons, • Mr. Bonar Law said that of the available tonnage, 92 per cent, had been! allotted to the Food Controller, the ; War Offico, the Admiralty, and the f ; Minister for Munitions. J Later the House began a, secret ses-; sion.—Aus.-N.Z.- Cable Assn. i BOASTS IN THE REICHSTAG 1325 U-BOAT VICTIMS IN THREE , MONTHS. Amsterdam, May 10. Admiral von Capolle (Chief of tho German Admiralty), in a spceeh on tho Navy Estimates in tho Reichstag, asserted that the booty during tho past three months had been 1325 ships, aggregating 2,800,000 tons. Ho expected that tho submarines, which wero heavily striking at the vital centre oT Germany's fiercest enemy, would guarantee Germany holding out. He admitted that josses had occurred, as the enemies' defences were increasing in quantity and quality; but there was no radical remedy against, thu submarines. The Admiralty had expected to sink six hundred thousand tons of merchantmen a. month, hut over 1,100,000 tons were destroyed in April. The losses of submarines were unexpectedly small, and the crews wero greatly increasing their experience. —Renter. . HUNS' DEFENCE OF THE U-BOAT ; WAR Vancouver, May 10. Tho United Press correspondent, at, Berlin has received a, statement by the Foreign Office on the German view of America's entrance into the war. Germany refuse to forogo tho present nso of tho submarine, although she does not desire to tako offensive measures against the United States. The Government regards the submarine as a valuable weapon, hut will strictly confine it to the announced zone. It does not see any hostility in such action, as all countries were warned beforehand. ! Tlie statement, indicates that Americans in Germany are obliged to report regularly to tho polico.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.