ON THE SEA.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 November 1917, Page 5

ON THE SEA.

BRITISH DESTROYERS IN ACTION. GERMAN CRUISER DESTROYED. : Received Nov. 4, 5.5 p.m. Copenhagen, Nov. 3. On Friday morning the German 3000ton auxiliary cruiser Marie met British destroyers 12 miles north of Kullen. The Marie opened fire, and the destroyers answered, with the result that in "ten minutes the Marie was afire. Thirty of the crew were killed, and the remainder took, to the boats. A Danish steamer brought seventeen wounded to Copenhagen, including the captain, who said that his vessel, which carried four guns and a crew of ninety, was suddenly attacked, and shells descended with such rapidity that the men were unable to work the guns, and only fired a few shots before the Marie was a mass of flames, when the destroyers ceased firing and rescued about thirty of the crew. Other reports show that the fight lasted three hours. Four or five armed German trawlers participated, but their fate is unknown.

THE OFFICIAL REPORT. A 'PATROL ENCOUNTER. ; TEN ENEMY SHIPS DESTROYED. A. and N.Z. Cable Assoc, and Reuter. Received Nov. 4, 5.5 p.m. London, Nov. 3. The Admiralty reports that an electrically controlled high speed boat attacked our patrols on the Belgian coast. The attack was defeated, and the boatdestroyed. The Admiralty also reports that our ' naval forces, operating in the Kattegat, have apparently been engaged by enemy forces, probably patrols, i the official information only intimates i

that certain of our vessels had been detached to bring in prisoners, and we are hearing their bases. A later report states that forces operating in the Kattegat destroyed an au.viiiary cruiser, armed with six-inch guns., and also ten armed patrols. Sixty-four prisoners were respited. " We siuitaincd no casualties.

THE SUBMARINE LOSSES.

.GERMAN CLAIMS DISPROVED. BALTIC ATTACK CONDEMNED. London, Nov. 2. In the House of Cmnomns, Sir Eric Geddes, replying to criticisms, said it would be madness for the British fleet; to pass into the Baltic, as the Germans would occupy and fortify neutral islands in its rear. The German objective was the command of the Gulf of Riga, in order to gain facilities to attack Reval and advance on Petrograd. No responsible naval officer supported such an enterprise as an attack on the Germans in the Baltic.

Dealing with submarining, he said tile measures taken were effective in September. Ninety per cent, of the total vessels sailing in the Atlantic trade routes were convoyed, and since the convoy system was started tho total loss was five per thousand. The displacement of tho navy in 1014 was 2,400.000 tons; to-day it was 71 per cent, greater. The personnel of the fleet before the war was 146,000; to : day it was 300,000. Sir Eric Geddes said that the Germans claimed they had sunk 808,000 tons of all nationalities last August. They had sunk little more than one-third of that amount, and the "British tonnage was little more than half that of all nationalities. >

The German September figures were 672,000 tons, but they sank less than one-third of that amount, and British tonnage comprised less than one-half of all nationalities.

Tho net reduction in tonnage in the last four months is to-day 30 per cent, less than was estimated early in July.

The total net reduction • since tlie beginning of the war from all causes in British ships over 1000 tonp was under 2,500,000 tons gross, or 14 per cent. After summarising: the progress made in combating the submarine, Sir Eric Geddes referred to the fact that the Germans were building submarines faster than hitherto. They had not yet attained their maximum strength in submarine warfare, therefore it was becoming a test of determination, grit, and ingenuity between the two contending forces. He concluded: "The submarine warfare is at present going well for us, and one is justified in regarding the future with courage and confidence." He recalled that the German mercantile marine before the war totalled 5,000,000 tons; to-day nearly half had been sunk or was in the Entente's 'hands.