PROGRAMME OF SHIP CONSTRUCTION

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 34, 3 November 1917, Page 7

PROGRAMME OF SHIP CONSTRUCTION

GREATEST IN HISTORY

(Bee. November 3, 1.45 a.m.) London, November 2. Sir .Erio Geddes, referring to the. out-' pat of merchant tonnage, said that in the first nine months of 1917 it was 123 .. per cent, higher than in the corresponding period last year, and very-consider-ably higher than the output for the. whole of 1915. The standard vessels now ordered represented nearly -a mil*, lion gross tons of sjiipping. Over half, of these were already in course of cr.n r struction, and the remainder would be. taken in hand as soon as the vessels now on the stocks were launched. A limited, number of standard vessels were completed and commissioned, but the whole of the yards suitablo for the building of standard ships could not yet be entirely devoted to that work, because the stocks were already occupied by other craft. _ , The programme of warship construction now in hand was infinitely larger than, had ever been undertaken before the war in history. The output of naval craft ; in the fast twelve months was three to four times as great as the annual average output for the few years pre? i ceding the war.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. lieuter.

AMERICAN TRANSPORT TORPEDOED I

EETUENS TO PORT WITHOUT LOSS OF LIFE. Washington, November 1. ' The United States transport Finland; homoward bound, was torpedoed. She. returned to a foreign port under her own steam. There was no- loss of life. The Finland was under resort. Neither the torpedo nor the submarine was sighted; •-Aus.-N.is. Cable Assn. ; THE FRENCITsHIPPING LOSSES \ London, November 1. The Fren'l-h (shipping returns show:— Arrivals, 838; sailings, 795.' Sinkings, two above and one. below 1600 tons. Unsuccessfully attacked, four—Aus.-N.Z, Cablo Assn.—Reuter. [The figures for the previous week were:—Arrivals, 9SO'; sailing's','lo32; sink-, ings, above 1600 tons, nil; below, IGUd tons, 1; unsuccessfully attacked, 4.] THE ITALIAN REPORT London, November 1. ' The Italian official message states-.— "The arrivals for the week totalled 439. and departures 376. Two steamers over 1500 tons were sunk and one under 15(K tons. Ono steamer escaped attack.-Aus.-N.Z. Cable Aesn.-Reutcr. fLast week's return was:—Arrivals, 427; departures, 414. One.steamer over ' 1500 tons and three under 1500 tons wcro sunk; and oiio unsuccessfully ftUao.ked.-l ,»i • i