SUNK IN THE PIRATE WAR

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 70, 17 December 1918, Page 5

SUNK IN THE PIRATE WAR

AUSTRALASIA'S LOSSES

NEARLY 250,000 TONS

During the'period of tlie war various companies running vessels between Australia and New Zealand mid Europe have had a largo number of losses. Some of the finest ressels trading to the Antipodes have gone, and in some cases more, t.lniu 50 per cent, of tho tonnage has been sunk. Something like 2Vi,000 tons is the total | tonnago of this shipping lost in lour l years. Although the list published Mow represents actual losses as is at present known, various units of Australasian shipping have been severely damaged, hut havo reached port. Most of, the vessels were lost in the English Channel and nt tlis Mediterranean, both of which wero I generally looked upon as tho "cemcteries" of tho various fleets.'

Comparatively fow instances of ships on tho Australian run having been mink by sliellfire from submarines have' yet been I announced. .It was the torpedo which accounted for the bulk of the losses on this route. Mines and collisions, caused through vessels, under necessity, having to travel without lights, also took heavy toll. From the list, which is as complete as it is possible to make it, owing to agents not always being advised of losses, it -will bo seen that the heaviest losers have been the P, and 0. (11), Union S.S. Co. (10), British India (8), Messageries Maritime (G), and tho Commonwealth and Dominion (5) Lines, but nearly every well-known line has as bad a loss. The following is the list showing name, gloss tonnage, and method of destruction Union Co.—Avenger, 15,000 tons, sunk as auxiliary cruiser; Wairuna, 4.327 tons, sunk by the Wolf; Roscommon, 7031 tons, torpedoed; Aparima, 5701 tons, torpedoed; Waihemo, 4283 tons, torpedoed in Mediterranean ; ' Waitematn, 5432 tons, torpedoed; Leitrim, 9540 tons, sunk while acting in the Federal-Shire Co.'s Australian service; Westmeatli, 0179 tons (formerly Everton Grange), sunk whilo acting as Federal-Shire liner; Limerick, (3827 tons (cx-Ripninghani Grange), lost en route from Liverpool to Australia under charter to I'Vderal-Shire ' Line; Waitowa, 566G tons (formerly Maritime ex-Sclilesien). Sold as war prize to.Maritime S.S. Co. for about ,£60,000. Bought a few months later at much higher figure by Union Co.; torpedoed early in 1017. Commonwealth and Dominion Line.— Port Adelaide (ex-Indrapura), 8181 tons, torpedoed; Port Nicholson (px-Makarini), 750(1 tons, torpedoed; Port Ivembla, 470(1 tons, mined off Cape Farewell (N.Z.); Port Hardy( ex-Nerehana), 9860 tons, and Port Curtis, 8200 tons, lost in European waters. New Zealand Shipping Co.—Rotorua, ■11,140 tons, torpedoed; Otaki, 0575 tons, sunk 'by raider Moewe; Turakina, 8492 tons, torpedoed. Shaw, Savill, and Albion Co.—Tokomaru, torpedoed off. coast France, January, 1916. Federal-Shire Line.—Somerset, 8710 lons, sunk 1917 while en route from Liverpool to Australia; Middlesex, 72G5 tons (formerly Knight Bachelor), sunk between Liverp'ol and Australia as ft unit of the Federal-Shire Line. British-Australian Steamers. P. and 0. Line.—Medina, 12,350 tons; 'Arabia, 7033 tons.; Mooltan, 0723 tons; Marmora, 10,500 in Mediterranean; Mongolia, 9505 tons, mined near India; Bailarat. 11,120 tons, torpedoed in Channel; Maloja, 12,542 tons, mined in Mediterranean; Geelong, 7952 tons, sunlt in collision; Mongara, 8205 tons, Candia, 6182 tons, and Salsctte, 58(2 tons, unspecified.' Orient. S.N. Co.—Orama, 12,027 tons, sunk as armed merchantman; Otway, 12,077 tons, torpedoed; Omrah, 8130 tons, torpedoed'; Otranto, 12,12-1 tons, wrecked in collision. ' Messageries Maritime Line—Ville do la Ciotat, 3558 tons; Caledonia, 4140 tons; Sontay, 7247 tons; Yarra, 4183 tons, torpedoed; Himalaya, 5G20 tons, torpedoed; Gauge, GBBG tons, sunk in the Mediterranean. White Star Line.—Afrio, 11,999 tons, torpedoed; Delphic, 5273 tons, torpedoed in Channel; Georgic, 10,077 tons, sunk by Pacific raider British-India S.N. Co.—ltonus, 5340 tons, torpedoed; Itri.i. 5318 tons, sunk in collision; Umballa, 5310 tons, Berber?,, 4352 tons. Mashobra, 8174 tons,' Mombossa, 4GG2 tons, Mantola, and Umaria, details of their fate not available here. Commonwealth Government Line.—Conargo, 4312 tons, torpedoed; Barnngn, 7481 lons, torpedoed;, Anstraldale. 4437 tons; Australbush, 4308 tons, both torpedoed. Royal Dutch , Packet;—Tasman, 7223 tons, torpedoed. Burns, Philp, Ltd.—Matnnga, IGIS tons, sunk by the Wolf. A.U.S.N. Co.—Kyarra, 6053 tons, torpedoed in Channel. Adelnide S.S. Co.—Ecliungn, 4580 lons, and Warilda, 7713 tons (hospital ship), torpedoed. Howard Smith Line.—Era, 2379 tons, torpedoed in Mediterranean. Huddart-Parker Liiif—Wimmern, 3022 tons, sunk by Tnine off New Zealand con.ii. Melbourne S.-S. Co.—Kapunda, 3097 tons, torpedoed. The Clan Line has also lost heavily, and tho Luckenbach Line, out of New lork, lias sustained some heavy losses, but in each case particulars are notavailable at this time. The list of sailing vessels inward and outward, bound from Australia and New Zealand is at present unknown, but it must have reached a fair total.