PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 9, 5 October 1917, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

The Admiralty return of British ships sunk during the week ending September 2S gives point to Dr. Addison's recent statement to the effect that anti-submarine measures have of late been, particularly successful. Thirteen' ships large and small were sunk during the week. This is the smallest number sunk in any week since the present system of returns was inaugurated in February. The return of. eleven ships ovcr'l6oo lons sunk is also the smallest on record for tin period, with the exception of one other week last month in which the submarines accounted for only eight, such ships. The figures now available, for the first four weeks of September disi tir.clly imply (hat the submarines

.are a declining force. It is true

that losses in ships under 1600 tons averaged 7.5 per week. This is more than twice Che average lor July and August, and only a little better than the figures registered in April, when the campaign was at its height. But losses iu ships over 1600 tons, which arc so much more important from the point of view of reduction ot available tonnage, show a vciyy material decline. The average number of these ships sunk per week during the four weeks of September was eleven. This compares . with an average of 28.5 per week in the four weeks' in April, in which the campaign was at its worst, and is a reduction of approximately onethird in the losses suffered in July and August. Appreciably as they have fallen during the last month, British shipping losses arc still serious, but as a whole the official figures lend no support to pessimistic statements recently cabled, nor do they suggest that the enemy is likely,' to achieve decisive results in his attack upon tho Allies' sea communications.

Some time ago it was briefly reported bv cable that Spam had interned an enemy submarine and was jxpected to reverse her past policy jf allowing the raiders to make use jf her ports and coastal waters. If ore- detailed information has arrived by mail. Answering a ques : ;-"on in the Chamber of Deputies, M. Ribot (then Prime Minister of France) said it was not admissible ;hat enemy submarines should find shelter or encouragement in the ports jf a Power calling itself neutral ind a friend of France, and freineiit protests had been made. He illuded to the case of U or UC 52, m enemy submarine which was bund on Juno 11 near Cadiz with >ier engines damaged by gunfire, and ivaa towed into Cadiz by a, Spanish ;orpedo boat. It was then stated ihat as her repairs would take more ;han two days she would be mtern>d, but she was permitted to leave Cadiz on June 29. With regard to ihis vessel, M. llmOT stated that no igrcemcnt had been reached. However," ho added, "tho Spanish Govirnmont, tardily giving way to our •epresentations, issued a decree which henceforth forbids any'submarine from entering Spanish waters on pain of being interned and letained. It is doubtless also necessary to suppress the centres of espionage, but not to let us diminish ;he value of tho results we have oo;ained. A Gorman submarine has altered Corunna. Wo at once dcnanded its internment. Our request vas immediately complied with, it w somo chance, which I cannot even maginc, the Spanish Government lad not fulfilled tho promise it nade, wo should then,ourselves have ;o make the decree respected py neans which we havo at our disposal, but the present Ministry -n Spain has given us numerous proots ,1 its" good will, and we have no •eason to create difficulties for it at ho present mome.it." The underling exacted from tho Spanish Government is obviously of. great mportance. The Spanish coast has 'xwn extensively used by enemy subnarines as a base of' operations, itid the loss of this base will matcnaiy limit their activities and mireaso their liability to capture or lestruction. # * * ... Somewhat unpleasant possibilities we raised in a report from Odessa, which states that the enemy is mowing an offensive in Northern Hoi•Kvia Tho danger of such a_ctehas bce S n visible ever since tho Russians lost Czernowitz in /Vueusfc List. Czernowitz was an osSi buttress in the Russmn line -ovorins Northern Rumania, and prospects of resisting an.enemy adduce into Northern Moldavia were gravely diminished by its lorn Slaking such an advance the ene vould outflank the whole of the forces to ,the south and probably, compel them to men »t» the remaining area o,f Run*ma Tho position is doubly unfoitunaft since the Rumanian armies, nm fficfentlv reorganised, gave, a splen fd account of themselves in heavj fißhtfoß during the summer, am Sefeated a powerful enemy offensive SSSK as the■ RuXZssHi dilated as a result of the Russiai that the enemy will bs able totuii Western theatre and on the Italia 35§5555