SUBMARINE CAMPAIGN.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 11 September 1917, Page 5

SUBMARINE CAMPAIGN.

COUNTING THE SUBMARINES. BRITAIN'S SUCCESSFUL METHODS. NEW YORK, Sept. 10. Charles Grasty, the New York Times' London correspondent, states that the convoy system and other anti U-boat methods of the Allies have been firmly established for the past few months and has been most successful. Large numbers of cruisers and destroyers are in the English Channel, thwarting the U-boats,. Transports to France are practically immune. There is reason to believe that Germany is planning to Carry the U-boat campaign to the ocean in order to offset the Allies' attacks. It is generally known in naval circles that U-boats on the Atlantic Ocean never exceed twenty and off the British coast, ten. Germany has constructed less than 300 Üboats, and 150 are now existing. The necessity for constant repairs and supplies, and the difficulty of obtaining crews owing to sailors' demoralisation from fear of destroyers, to gether. with the difficulty of obtaining torpedo material, accounts for. the few U-boats on actual service.

The correspondent sends figures which may be relied on as accurate, showing Allied and neutral losses during the past eight months, including August, approximate four million tons, exclusive of ships damaged and beached. The zenith was reached in April, when 200,000 tons were sunk weekly. Th e U-boat men were unable to maintain the high pressure and a rea.ctiion was noticed in the comparatively small losses in July and August. The multiplication of losses is greatly increasing the nerve-racking of the Üboat duty men, who are in deathly fear of a destroyer, therefore it is only necessary to maintain sufficient destroyers to reduce sinkings to the level of new,, construction and thus defeat Germany. AUSTRIAN AFFAIRS. STARTLING REVELATION IN „. VIENNA. GOVERNMENT REIGTvi OF TERROR HOW WAR WAS ORGANISED. Received 10.10. BERNE, Sept 10. Startling Tevelations have been made in Vienna. The Government at the outbreak ,of war organised a reign of terror against political opponents. Doctor Frank the Magyarphile leader, states that Raovitch, Chief of Police," sent a subordinate and urged Frank to form a "Black Band," to kill all leading Serbo-Croatian politicians. Frank replied that fte would never consent, though the victms were political l enemies of Raovitch. The latter said it was a pity the fellows were not assassinated. AUSTRIA WANTS PEACE. RUMOURED NEGOTIATIONS WITH DOWNING STREET. AMSERDAM, Sept. 9. The Vienna correspondent of tfye Hamburger Nachrichten denounces the renewed activities of an influential circle in Austria-Hungary working for a speedy termination of the war. The "Reichspost" declares that since th e beginning of August, Austria has been everting very strong pressure to induce Germany towards peace. She has been sending feelers in other directions, especially London. The paper concludes: If Germany fails to yield to Austrian pressure, it is very possible that an agreement may shortly be reached with Downing Street, without Germany. .-,.,'