Super-Submarine Sunk

Levin Daily Chronicle, 15 June 1918, Page 4

Super-Submarine Sunk

THE ALLIES' NEW ENGINES. < DECISIVE RESULTS CLAIMED. LONDON, May 25. The Times naval correspondent states that the first submersible cruiser was expected to prove more difficult to find than tho Emden. Therefore its sinking was most noteworthy. The Germans commenced the construction of eight such vessels in March, 1917, at the Vulcan Yards . Their surface propulsion is ateam, and their speed is 18 knots. They are capable of descending to great depths under minefields, and probably are armoured, have gun turrets on the top sides and double hulls as a protection against depth charges. They have large crew accommodation. The increase of submersibles from 800 to 4000 tons is a great step, bub. their usefulness has not yet been proved.

Expert commcnt on the tonnage losses points" out tha tthe Germans in the whole of the first quarter of 191S have done little more than they did in a month last year. Moreover, it must be remembered that the effects of the blocking of Zeebrjigge and Ostend, and of the North are not yet apparent. Further, the totals for each quarter from April last year have steadily and regularly fallen, and the* total for April, which previously was the most favourable month of the year for submarines, was nearly 80,000 tons less than the average for the three preceding months. Experts are confident that the improvement will continue, to be progressive. These facts have stuliJied Admiral von Capelle's boast about the increased number of submarines, for, if his statement is true, the damage they have done is less. The important question is whether new construction has overtaken destruction, and this, with the help of the United States, is regarded as satisfactory, the world tonnage bulit during April having exceeded by 30,500 tons the shipping sunk in that month.

The French Minister for Marine states that the new engines which the allies are using to sweep the seas, have enabled them'to secure decisive results since 'January.

Giving evidence before the Amsterdam. Shipping Council, which was inquiring into the sinking of the Dutch steamer Catherina, the mate stated that when the submarino crew heard that otne of their shots had killed the eaptain, they laughed. The Dutch shipping inspector characterised this as inexcusable. The Germans were acting with increasing brutality against small vessels. They no longer fired warning shots —indeed, they shot people dead without hesitating. This, added the inspector, was beyond all endurance.

The Times, correspondent at Petrograd relates that British submarines .in the Baltic sank one battleship, two cruikers, four destroyers, a collier, and 14 merchantmen, entailing jbetwecn two and three thousand casualties.

During the Brcst-Litovsk peace conference a German admiral told the Russians that the British submarines were the only forcc in the Baltic tHat the Germans feared. They were compelled to organise a special flotilla •igainst those boats. \