Marltime Activities

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 214, 17 February 1915, Page 5

Marltime Activities

BRITANNIA RULES THE WAVES THE POSITION UNCHALLENGED. "OUR NAVY ROUND AS A BELL." ' SPEECH BY THE FIRST LORD. London, February. 16; Mr Clmreliill, in tin- House of Commons, said that only «3 vessels, exclusive.of mine-sweeping trawlers, had beep, lost since the war started. Britain's situation in every sea was unchallenged The losses in the navy were 55(10 officer* an men killed, but wo had killed an equal number. Our command of the sea enabled us to carry throughout the world a million men without accident or loss of life The victory almost entirely freed the outer seas. The Dodger Bank action was of immense value and significance by throwing light o n the rival systems of designs anl armament. London, February 15. Mr Churchill, continuing, said that the navy's new 15-inch guns equalled the.)Si inch guns in quality, but were vastly more powerful and more destructive. Regarding the German submarine attacks on merchantmen, lie said: "We wiV take reprisals, beoause Germany ;annnr be allowed to adopt a sVstem' of open piracy and murder. Restrictions placed uno,, German trade will be increased. Hitherto we have not attempted to stop foodstuffs, but a further declaration will promptly be made applying the full force of our naval- pressure upon iho enemy." Mr' Churchill stated that the paralysing force which the navy exerted could alone decide the issue of the war. "The navy," he added, "is as sound 'as a hell."

•> London, February IS. The Admiralty deprecated anything tending to make officers afloat or at the Admiralty play for safety. The Admiralty had chartered about' a fifth of the merchantile marine. We were supplying from across the sea a n army almost as large as Xapolenn's grand army, but vastly more complete. He was unable to bold .'out any hope of immediate reduction of'lho tonnage t!i« Admiralty required. There were 4405 British arrivals and 3000 sailings' in the last month, and only nineteen were sunk by above-water era ft. Between 171)1 and 1814 w.> lost lf>;;71 merchantmen. Even after Trafalgar we lost five hnn'dred ships yearly, and ifc was reallv marvellous how few our losses hart' been. Steam and telegraph had enormously increased the efficiency of the superior power. Received 16. 10.55 p.m. London, February Ifi. Mr Churchill, continuing,' emphasised the efficiency of the navvl At the otitbreafcf of t,he war the navv was full" mobilised. The reserves of ammu".:tion and torpedoes were far above the rtgular quantities, and there was ample fuel oil. An immense programme of-ruy-cbnstruetion was now maturing to reinforce the fleet. The pre-arranged system of accelerating new construction was yielding surprising results. Oil consumptio,, «ad been greatly above the estimate, but not a single 'cilship had been lost, and the price was lower than when he last addressed the House. The ' Naval Training School was full to the brim, and we were thus able to man the ships coming on in such great numbers. Replying to a suggestion that Britain should hold a court-martial for every •ship lost, he pointed out that' the novel conditions of warfare, presented naval officers with problems, of incomparable hazard and difficulty, and a court-martial would frequently be inappropriate

BRITISH SUBMARINES IN THE BALTIC. London, February 15. The Standard's Amsterdam correspondent says tlie Berliner Tageblatt, discussing the sinking of the torpedo-boar. Gazelle, opines that large! modem British submarines are in tlie Baltic. Three have been at Holsingfors (Finland) fulsome time. Tlie Great Belt is tliicklv strewn with mines, and the submarines evidently entered, following close in the wake of steamships piloted, through the minefields. [lt was supposed that Russia,, submarines were responsible for the sinking of the Gazelle.] "NO BLUFF." GERMANS BELIEVE IN THE BLQCKADE BERLIN ADMIRALTY ANGERED. THE "NOTES" FROM AMERICA. Copenhagen. February 15. Reports of British and American disbelief in the efficiency of the blockade of the British coasts have greatly angered Germany. The word bluff, as applied to the blockade threat, particularly annoys the German Admiraltv. Herr Erzeberger, member of the Reichstag, has written to the press that tlie blockade threat is 4o bluff. The Admiralty and mercantile marine are confident that the blockade will be made fully successful. However, it is not desired to antagonise neutrals, and no obstacles will be placed in the way of grain transports to Belgium or for the population in districts of Poland, or cooper shipments to Sweden. The Mmiralty and the management of Atlantic liners ant taking extreme precautions to ensure the safety of passenger*. Times and Sydney Sun Services. London, February 15. The American Note to Germany states that if German submarines'were to destroy America,, vessels withnnt first determining their nationality the United States could not view tlie act except as an indefensible violation of the rights of neutrals, and would be constrained to hold Germanv strietlv ac-L.-mtable for such acts and to take the nece.-.-.-ry steps to safeguard American lives an ' oroperty. Tlie Not. to 'Britain declares that America wil, view with anxious solicitude the general .'se of the United States flag bv British ve.rels traversing b10ck...i.., n'aiers.

Amsterio.il Vebruarv 15.Captain Persius, tlie r.<■,,-.-:i>' naval expert, wrilinj; in the It,'diner "•'■•'"■- blatt, said: 'The pse of i'le neutra. fiaj.' is a customary ruse de p "erro, hut Britain prescribes iis a principle; what is only occasionally permissible. - ' NORTHERN Ei F U'E WAITIXD. FOR THE DAWXIXC (,/ THE EIIIIITEEXTir. Times and Svdn,■■,• Sun Services Received Iff. 5.1.-, p.m. Louden, Februarv H : .. report that Nortbei ■ Euro, ■ is awailinj; Februarv F:l!i will anxictv. A hundreii and lil'lv Scan.lina>. iau a. I si\tv-iwo Danish' steamers are eomiie.' ''mm' overseas. Foods)nil's ' '••• lirevnily rccbd in Scandinavia end D. n.':-r|:. h !- nfieipai ■! ii l; ,j. t! ,,. liri!i>;, br.akia-i. , ,M„, ill M ,r,- ~ f ,„, : , ~„. lierinail blo;-k;ei,.