ON THE SEA.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 12 May 1917, Page 5

ON THE SE A.

THE DOVER FIGHT. LONDON, May 10. The Press Bureau states that the King has sent a message expressing much pleasure in approving awards aad recognition of the splendid action fought by the Swift and Broke with • the German destroyfers. Th\e officers and men did more than uphold the grand traditions of the British Navy. THE NORTH SEA SKIRMISH. LONDON, May 10. The British flotilla which chased the German destroyers back to Zeebmgge was commanded by Commodore Tyrwhitt, who led his flotilla with such conspicuous gallantry in the Battle of Heligoland Bight. GERMANS' STAY-AT-HOME FLEET. LONGING TO MEET BRITISH AMSTERDAM.. May 10. In the yesterday a Conservative member d£vnred that the fleet was longing to meet the British, who, despite denials, knew that the battle of Skagrack was the first defeat the British Navy had suffered for centuries. A National Liberal member said that T<Britain's dominion of the seas was now shaken for ever. The fleet dare not come out. *

DESTROYER ENGAGEMENT. Received 10.10. AMSTERDAM, May 11. The Telcgraai states that the German destroyers engaged on Thursday left Zeebrugge on Wednesday evening. The British hit a submarine in addition to the destroyers. I FLIGHT OF THE ENEMY. MAKE BACK TO POUT. LONDON, May 10. The Admiralty reports: Scouting I light cruisers anu destroyers from Rarj wich, when cruising between the Eng- ! lish and Dutch coasts [Jt.s u.orni)ig, ! sighted 11 German destroyers to tnc ' south in a parallel line. They immediately closed and opened fire. The enemy made off southwards at full speed, under cover of a dense smoke screen. ■ Our vessels chasedtheni for 80 minutes and engaged them at long range, but were unable to overtake them. Pour of our destroyers chased the 11 of the ' Germans witoin range of tht at Zeebrugge. Our only casualty was, one man slightly wounded. . The enemy's, destroyers were seen to be hit. : SHIPPING PROBLEMS. SOME INTERESTING COMPARISONS. ' , r

LONDON, May 10. Lord Curzon, speaking in the House ally. Our fleet would be in a better the Admiralty had the first call in shipbuilding. When the war was over, he said, our naval tonnage would surpass that of all other nations. The figures for merchantmen were as follows: In June 1914. the Empire's shipping of over a hundred tons gross numbered 10,124 ships, with a tonnage of 20,523,000. In December 116, 9757 ships and 19,760,000 tens. The figures for all other countries before the Avar were 14,320 and 24,880,000 tons; in December 1916, '13,749 ships, whose tonnage aggregated 24,003,00 Otons. Thus the British proportion of the world's tonnage respectively was 45.3 per cent, in 1914, and 45.2 in 1916. i | HALF THE WORLD'S TONNAGE. LONDON, May 10. Lord Curzon added: As regards \ vessels of over 1600 tons, the British ] vessels numbered 3900, aggregating I more than half the world's tonnage, whereas at the end of March 1917, there were 3300 ships aggregating a tonnage of almost sixteen millions. The loss of neutral tonnage was heavy, especially Norwegian, but Jap- ; an and America were increasing their mercantile fleets. Their success depends upon the duration of the war and the submarine risks. The Ship- ' ping Minister's programme envisaged an output of three million tons annually. Our fleet would be i a better j position than before the war. j INCIDENTS OP THE WAR. \ GENERAL SMUTS' OPTIMISM.. "THE GREATEST COMMON-' WEALTH IN THE WORLD.''

I Received 10.10 LONDON, May 11. General Smuts, in receiving the Freedom of the City of Manchester, said he was never so hopeful of Africa solving the race problem and buildino- Tl p a the Imperial Conference would become groat white community. He was sure a landmark in the Empire's historv. At first he doubted the wisdom of'summoning the conference during war time, but from what he had seen h e was convinced it would produce the greatest results. The delegates' experiences at the conference would assist them to appreciate British difficulties and assist to build up a spirit of unity and cooperation in order to surmount the troubles ahead. The s?mc spirit would result in the strongest commonwealth against the nations of the world.