SUPER-SUBMARINE SUNK.

Taihape Daily Times, 10 June 1918, Page 3

SUPER-SUBMARINE SUNK.

THE ALLIES' NEW ENGINES. DECISIVE RESULTS CLAIMED. LONDON, May 25. The Times naval eorresponueiit states J that the first submersible cruiser was ' expected to prove more difficult to find than the 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 steam, and their speed is IS 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 SOO to 4000 tons is a great step, but their usefulness has not yet been proved. Expert comment on the tonnage losses points out that the Germans in the whole of the first quarter of 191 S have done little more than they did in a month last year. Moreover, it must be remembered that the effects of the blocking of Zeebruggo and Ostend, and of the new North Sea minefield arc not yet apparent. Further, the totals for each quarer 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 arc confident that the improvement will continue to be progressive. These facts have stultified Admirajl 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 the new construction has overtaken destruction, and this, with the help of the United -States, is regarded as satisfactory, the world tonnage built during April having ex- ' ceeded 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 th.em.to secure decisive results since January. Giving evidence before the Amsterdam Shipping Council, which was in- i quiring into the sinking of the Dutch steamer Catherina, the mate stated' that when the submarine crew heard that one of their shots had killed the captain, 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 endur-

anco. The Times correspondent at Petrograd relates that British submarines in the Baltic sank one battleship, two cruisers, four destroyers, a collier, and 14 merchantmen, entailing between two and three thousand casualties. During the Brest-Litovsk peace conference a Gorman admiral told the Russians that the British submarines were the only force in the Baltic that the Germans feared. They were compelled to organise a special flotilla j •agaist thoso boats.