ON THE SEA.

Taihape Daily Times, 9 May 1918, Page 5

ON THE SEA.

ZEEBRUGGE RAID. GERMAN COMMENT. AMSTERDAM, May 7. The Frankfurter Zeitung commenting on the Zeebrugge raid, says: "It is foolish to deny that the British Fleet scored a great success, penetratiig one of the most important strongholds over which ftoats the German flag. There is no reason why we should not acheive a similar feat at other times It behoves our Naval Command ti- be alert." IT-BOAT SINKINGS INCREASING. MERCHANTMEN LOSSES DECREASING. Received 8.45 a.m. LONDON, May 8 Mr McNamara, speaking at Bristol, said the sinking of enemy submarines had steadily increased while the sinking of merchantment fell steadily. The output of tonnage 'monthly was well ahead of last year. Mr. Haveloek, secretary of the Seamen's Federation, said more seamen were losing their lives than at any other period of the war though fewer ships were sunk. The explanation was that the Germans were carrying out instructions to "leave no trace."

BRITISH SHIP CONSTRUCTION. A SATISFACTORY INCREASE. Received 10.30 a.m. LONDON, May 8. An Admiralty statement on the nev merchant ship construction shows on the first three months of this year 320,280 tons were completed in the United Kingdom yards, 544,327 ton:, launched in Allied and neutral coun. tries. The respective totals for the whole of 1917 were 1,163,474 and 1,774,312 tons. There were 111,533 tone completed and entered for service from United Kingdom yards last month, compared with 161,674 tons in March and 58,568 tons in January. The year's completion to 30th April totalled 1,279,337 tons, showing a regular, progressive increase since 30th April last year, when the total was 749,314 tons. All the foregoing figures are gross tons.' It is pointed out the month's output was achieved notwithstanding the very large increase in repairs to merchantmen, amounting to forty per centum alone since January,