ON THE SEA.

Taihape Daily Times, 24 June 1918, Page 5

ON THE SEA.

- BEATING THE U-BOATS. HEAVY GERMAN LOSSES. CREWS GETTING DEMORALISED. Received 8.55 a.m. LONDON, June 23. The striking accumulation of evidence shows up the grim, prolonged submarine warfare, and that the Allies' tenacity and multiform methods of destruction are winning. , Official information from neutral sources in Scandinavia state that every wees lately U-iboats failed to return to their bases,, and that a large number are lost. One month six staggered homewards badly damaged. The dockyards are no longer able to fully accommothe submarines, and the authorities are obliged to establish emergency repair depots, which employed a large amount of civilian labour and also war prisoners skilled in engineering. The German authorities hav» become anxious concerning the physical and mental overstrain of the returned crews, as a result of the long immersion, and sleeplessness, due to the interminable dogging of aircraft, destroyers, motor boats and trawlers. Commander Rose, a well-known Üboat commander, speaking recently, confessed to the shattering moral effect of the depth bomb, particularly on inexperienced crews, owing to the hellish din of their explosions. This is the first admission that inexperienced crews are used in and adds significance to another German commander's later statement that a large proportion of the losses are due to the crews not being fully train-/ ed. Some are sent . out within "six weeks of their enlistment. Every pre. captionl is taken to prevent U-boat crews talking of their experiences, but stories cf the effects of bombing continually leak out. Men admit the losses of U-boats and submersible mine-layers are very great and are increasing. British convoying has so improved that shelling is only undertaken with extreme care, and the submarines now confine their operations mainly to torpedo attacks. German patrols are sharing in the heavy loss-, es resulting from the increased Allied defence. The dangers of the U-boat service are causing numerous desertions. • ' ' :

GERMAN STEAMER SUNK.. Received 10.15 a.m. WASHINGTON, June 23. The Navy Department announces that the steamer Schurz, which before the United States seized her, was the German Geir, was sunk" in a collision with the steamer Florida off Cape Lookout. The crew wre picked up; there was one casualty. NORWEGIAN VESSELS SUNK. BERGEN, June 23. Received 10.10 BERGEN, June 23. A wrecked Zeppelin, half submerged, has been seen off Bjoernsand. Submarines torpedoed five Norwegian steamers, Deane, Saimo, Styar, Kiel and Born. No Norwegians were killed. MADRID, June 23. A submarine was reported at Barcelona, where without entering the port, landed a wounded officer and then proceeded seawards, endeavouring to repair damage.