ON THE SEA.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 1 August 1917, Page 5

ON THE SEA.

A NAVAL INTERPELLATION. M. RIBOT’S FIRM STAND. Received 11 a.in. PARIS, July 31. In the Chamber, when an interpellation upon the Navy was suggested, M. Ribot, the Premier immediately rose and said: “We have experienced during the pa«t week the most critical period of the war.” He promised, despite pre-occupations to carefully consider the naval situation, and if decisions were necessary he would take them, but not under the Chamber’s pressure. The interpellation was - postponed by 281 to 183. . i THE INDIAN OCEAN RAIDER. LAID MINE WHICH TRAPPED THE MONGOLIA. LONDON, July 30.

Dr. T. J. Macnamara (Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty) announced to the House of Commons today tha it was believed the P. and O. liner Mongolia was sunk in part of the mine-fields laid by the raider Wolff. He evaded a query as to Whether the Wolff had been disposed of.

U.S. TRANSPORT RAMMED. , NO LOSS OF LIFE. NjjTW YORK, July 30. The American transport Saratoga, carrying fourteen hundred troops, was rammed in an Atlantic port, and was badly damaged. There were no casualties. GOVERNMENT REQUISITIONS ALL . SHIPPING. PROFITS TO GO TO GOVERNMENT LONDON, July 31. The Shipping Ministry’s statement says:— Except for a few vessels engaged in work vital to the colonies, and vessels chartered by France and Italy, the Government had requisitioned 97 per cent, of B’ritish ocean-going tramps. All lines had been requisitioned. The profits would go to the Government, not to shipowners. Many trades built up in distant waters by British enter prise had been abandoned to neutral shipping. The withdrawal of ship? had injured many export trades, parTcularly of India and the Far East; also distant colonies. One effect was that the market value of neutral vessels was double that of British. After describing the huge reductions in commercial exports and imports, the report says:—We have therefore sacrificed ruthlessly the needs of our industry and commerce io temporarily increase the exports of our Allies There is no substitute for the loss of nermanent trade.