THE NAVAL WARFARE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 144, 7 March 1918, Page 5

THE NAVAL WARFARE

PROCEEDING IN OUR FAVOUR THE SUBMARINE MENACE HELD CRITICAL DAYS AHEAD SPEECH BY SIR ERIC GEDDES (Reo. March 6, 10.35 p.m.) London, March 5. Sir Eric Geddes (First Lord of the Admiralty), in the House of Commons, in introducing the Naval Estimates, said that fjenerally; the naval warfare proceeded increasingly ill our favour. It continued to'" bo chieHy a trial of strength between the enemy submarines and the Allied submarines. Wo depended on indisputable information from neutral sources in regard to the certain success of other enterprises. Occasional raids on our convoys-and on the English coast were tho natural outcome of the blockaded enemy trving to harass the blockading Meet. He believed the exit of the Goeben and the Breslau was the result of a similar raid. The loss of the Breslau. was a serious one for the enemy." Guarding the Dover Straits. Regarding the recent enemy raid in the Dover Straits, he said night raids of the kind could always be undertaken by a determined enemy. It was commonly believed that the passage of submarines through the Dover Straits had been prevented by nets over obstructions since early in the war. That was not the case. Undoubtedly a considerable number of 1 submarines passed through the Straits towards the end of Ust, year. Recently a more vigorous policy had been adopted-, and a surface barrage maintained across the Channel day and night in order to obstruct the passage of submarines, and in the night time patrol boats numbering over a hundred burned flares so that any submarine attempting to pass on the surface had a reasonable chance of being engaged. Anti-Submarine Operations. Dealing with the anti-submarine operations, Sir Eric Geddes said the Allied Naval Council had decided to extend those utilised in home waters, where they had, proved • most successful, to the Mediterranean, where the main operations were now placed under the charge of Vice-Admiral Calthorpe. This was one of the first fruits of the Allied Naval Council, from which he hoped to derive material and increasing benefit. The British wero. establishing at various points in tlie Mediterranean and the Adriatic largo works for combined aerial and naval warfare. British naval oificers, at the request of the Greek Government, wero assisting in the reconstruction and reorganisation of the Greek Navy and dockyards. He emphasised tho cordiality of the rela/tions between the Allied naval heads. He announced that the forces in European waters would shortly Ibe augmented by Brazilian warships. He especially dwelt upon the close Anglo-American co-operation.

The Ships Problem. The losses of merchantmen were still tending' to decrease. The loss in the world's tonnage in February' was just over half that in the previous February. The loss for the five months to the end of February was 10 per cent, less than for tho corresponding iivo months of 191G-17. The output of ships in Britain in January was. only 58,000 tons. Ho hoped the output in February would double. The main causo of the decrease was labour troubles. Unless there was a- speedy improreinent the point whereat production would balance the losses would bo dangerously postponed. He emphasised that Britain must rely m- tho coming critical period upon her own resources, for a considerable time must elapse before the dosired American output materialised.

Submarine Menaoo Not Yet Mastered. i Sir Eric Geddes- reiterated that the submarine menace was held, but had not yet been mastered. Submarines were being destroyed in increasing numbers. Ho was confident this increase would continue. He kuew that' the Gorman submarine crews were growingly reluctant to put to sea, especially in the North Sea, the North Atlantic, and the Channel. The chances ol' submarines in those waters returning home wore about one in four, and recently the Anglo-Americans were sinking submarines in home waters as fast as they were being built. Britain and her Allies were now able to_ devote more attention to the submarines in the Mediterranean. The enemy continued to increasingly exaggerate the. tonnage sunk, in order to nearten his people. The losses of oonvoyed ships/continued low.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reutor.