SHIPPING PROBLEM

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 157, 22 March 1918, Page 5

SHIPPING PROBLEM

FAIR WAY TO SOLUTION LAST QUARTER'S LOSSES LOWEST OF WAR CAPACITY OF BRITISH YARDS STATEMENT BY SIR ERIC GEDDES (Rec. March 21, 7.45 p.m.) London, March 20. In tho House of Commons Sir Erio Geddes, First Lord of the Admiralty, stated that tho British losses during the war period amounted to 20 per cent, of British-owned tonnage. The world's tonnage had fallen 2£ per cent. The actual world's sinkings during the year ended January were, roughly, (3,000,000 tons. Germany claimed to havo sunk 0,500,000 tons. Britain in the fourth quarter'of ■ 1917 had constructed 420,000 tons, and the Allies and neutrals had constructed 512,000 tons. The world's,shipping losses during the fourth quarter cf last year were 1,200,000 tons, the lowest quarter during the war, but the current quarter would probably bo lower. The British losses during the same quarter averaged 260,000 tons monthly, and British shipbuilding averaged 140,000 tens monthly. Although the figures were reassuring, the January and February results wer3 disappointing. He hoped with confidence that tho country realised tho need of a supremo effort. — Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. London, March 20. Sir Eric Geddes, in his statement in the House of Commons, said that the w rld's ocean-going tonnage at the beginning of the war, excluding enemy tonnage, was 33,000,000. Referring to the percentage of Josses, he said that tho great losses of British vessels were mainly due to submarine work, which was specially directed against the British with the object of rtarying us! He declared that it was well within the capacity of the Allied yards, even of the British yards, before very long, with a proper supply of material and man-power, to replace entirely the world's losses on the present figures. The output of new British tonnage during tho year 11)15-16 was very low, and beforo the intense. submarine warfare began wo-were over 1,300,000 tons to tho bad. At present 47 large British shipyards were wholly engaged in the construction of ocean-going merchantmen. Wo had also enormously increased the output of repaired tonnage. 'Tho present need was skilled labour. Gradually wo wers getting skilled men from ihe Army. Eighteen hundred skilled and unskilled men had been returned to tho yards up to March 18, and 885 others were being demobilised. Our difficulties were gradually? Doing overcome. He believed the problem was in a fair way of solution. Sir Eric Geddes confirmed the ,appointmsnt of Lord Pirrie as Control'er , of General Merchant Shipping, under the First Lord of .the Admiralty. Lord Pirie would not bo a member of the Board of Admiralty, but would havo direct access to the. Premier and the War Cabinet on shippi-ig quest'ons. — Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. LAST WEEK'S LOSSES OF BRITISH SHIPS ELEVEN 'BIG' STEAMERS SUNK. (Rec. March 21, 7.45 p.m.) London, March 20. Tho Admiralty report on the submarine campaign during tho week gives the following figures, last week s being shown in parentheses:— Arrivals 2098 (2046) Srtoes 2317 (2062) Sunk over 1600 tons ... 31 \f) Sunk under 1600 tons... 6 (A) Unsuccessfully attacked 11 W Fishing vessels sunk .... '0 (V) —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. BBITIBH LOSSES SINCE FEBRUAEr. 1917. In Febrnarj- last the Britisn Admiraltj be E an the issue of weekly statements ebonng tho loeueß oE Britiali shina caused by Germany's submarino campaign. J.no figures- as officially announced, arc:TJndcr success- Arrirals Week 1600 tons 1600 fully and ended, and over. tons, attacked, sailmee. fob. Zβ 15 6 12 J.MI liar. 7 ...... 14 9" 16 6,005 Jar. 15 ...... 13 4 " £.082 Jar. 22....:. 16 8 9 MJJ liar. 29 18 ■ 1 « -'I »:::::" " I lay 16 18 6 19 .20 May 23 18 9 > 9 «23 May 30 18 1 W 5.487 June 6 ' 15 i J' 5.335 June 13 82 « ? 5 . 5-55J Juno 20 27 6 31 6,890 une 27 21, • I 2 W99 Bhl:I I July 25 ... 21 3 15 5,582 Aue 1 18 3 9 W»» lug: 8:::::: * j «■ > m i,,. it id 1 13 0,4« IE: a;:: I \ u m ftftu:::: ■« j ■ «. m :-nt 19 8 20 6 6.432 l!::i' j io wee Oct. 3 11 2 16 5,422 Oct. 10 14 2,3 te Oct. .17 12 6 5 J- 218 . Oct. 24 17 . 8 . 7 J, ? jj' Oct. 31 14 4 1 4<M Nov. 7 8 4 6 J,.w Nnv 14 15 8 4' WZ Nnr 21 "" 10 7 2 4,994 Dec 5 ,16 1 8 4,307 dc?: 12 ■""::: 14 \ jj «» B£B~S j 8 «:::::: I ! S Jan. 30 ...... 9 6 8 ■ 5.«1 Feb. 6 10 5 13 « el 7 .:::: S ' g :::::: If I i?

THE FRENCH AND ITALIAN LOSSES (Rec. March 21, 11.20 p.m.) London, March 20. The French official return gives the number of vessels arriving during tho week at 975 and the departures 920. Two steamers over and two under 1600 tons were sunk.—Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn.-lt'eutor. ' Rome, March 20. The arrivals during the week ending March 16 were 467 and the departures 422. One steamer over 1500 tons was sunk, and also two sailing vessels, one of which was over 100 tons— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. FRENCH LOSSES LAST YEAR Paris, March 20. U-boats sank 1270 merchantmen with torpedoes in 1917, and 1659 were sunk by gunfire.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. TWO NORWEGIAN_VESSELS SUNK Copenhagen, March 20. Tho crew of the Norwegian steamer Wegadesk have been picked up. A submarine placed bombs aboard the steamer, which is believed 'to have sunk. Tho Norwegian sailing ship Carla was sunk bv a< submarine. Tho captain was lulled, but the remainder of tho crew were rescued.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.