CONQUESING THE SUBMARINE

Taranaki Daily News, 26 June 1917, Page 2

CONQUESING THE SUBMARINE

STATEMENT BY A FRENCH MINISTER. London, May 31. Reuter's correspondent at Paris states that in the Chamber of Deputies there was a discupftion on submarinism, during which the Minister of Marine agreed with Mr. Lloyd George and Lord Milner that the. submarines will not beat us. With captured tonnage and tonnage purchased and constructed, the Allied and neutral tonnage at the beginning of 1917 was about the same as at the commencement of the war. The total loss«g of the first font 1 months of 1917 might be put down at 2,500,000 tons. "Taking into account the rate of construction," sai"d the Minister, "without being unduly optimistic, our losses for the year, if submarine warfare continues with the same degree of intensity, will be 4,500,000 tons. Our total tonnage is over 40,000,000. With the Allies restricting imports, we can. with the present tonnage, meet the requirements of the country and resume the transport of nvar material." The Minister pointed out that the sinkings to May 23 had- markedly decreased, being only 2(10,000 tons. He gave statistics showing that the German blockade' had never been effective, since the French ports had received all the ships they could accommodate. These brought everything needed to the country During Marcli 4,200,000 tons of goods had entered French ports, and 4,300,000 tons during April. On the contrary practically nothing had entered German ports, therefore it was untrue to assert that submarinism was a success. The Minister described the defences against submarines, including the improved armament of patrols, the training of merchant officers as gunners, and the establishment of wireless aviation stations on the coast. 'He said that all French merchantmen would be armed by October,