ON THE SEA.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 March 1918, Page 5

ON THE SEA.

NAVAL, WARFARE. STATEMENT BY SIR E. GEDDES. COPING WITH SUBMARINES. Aim. and N.2. Cable Assoc, and Renter. Received March 6, 6.10 p.m. London, March 5. Sir Eric Geddes (First Lord of the Admiralty) in the House of Commons, in introducing the naval estimates, said that, generally, naval warfare had proceeded increasingly in our favor. It continued to ibe chiefly a trial of strength between enemy submarines and Allied submarines. We depended uptji indisputable information from neutral sources with regard to certain success of other enterprises. The occasional raids on our convoys and on the English coast are the natural outcome of the blockaded enemy trying to harass the blocicading fleet. He believed the exit of the Goeben and Breslau was due to a similar raid. The loss of the Breslau was a serious one for the enemy. Regarding the recent enemy raid in the Dover Straits, it was commonly believed that the passage of submarines through Dover Straits had been prevented by nets and other obstructions since early in the war, but that was not the case. Undoubtedly, a considerable number of submarines had passed through the Straits towards the end of last year, but recently a more vigorous policy had Ibeen adopted, a surface barrage being maintained across the Channel day and night in order to obstruct the passage of submarines, and at night time patrol boats, numbering' over 100, burned flares, so that any submarine attempting to pass on the surface had a reasonable chance of being engaged. ACTIVITY IN MEDITERRANEAN. OUR SHIPBUILDING NOT UP TO THE MARK., Aus. and N.2. Cable Assoc, and Reuter. Received March (i, 8 p.m. Regarding the Dover raid, Sir E. Geddes said night raids of this kind could always be undertaken by a determined enemv. Dealing with anti-submarine operations, he said the Allied Naval Council had decided to extend those utilised in 'ionic waters, where they had proved most successful, to the Mediterranean, where the main operations were now placed under tiie charge of Vice-Admiral Calthorpo- This was one of the first fruits of the Allied Naval Council, wherefrom he hoped to derive-material and increasing benefit. The British wero establishing at various points in the Mediterranean and the Adriatic large works for combined aerial and naval warfare. British naval officers, at the request of the Greek Government, were assisting in the reconstruction ai'd reorganisation of the Greek navy and dockyards. fie emphasised the cordiality of the relalions between the Allied naval heads. He announced that the forces in European waters would shortly bo augmented by Brazilian _ warships. He especially 'dwelt upon the close Anglo-American co-operation-Losses of merchantmen were still tending to decrease. The loss of the world's tonnage for February was just over half of that of the previous February. The loss during five months to the'end of February was 10 ner cent, less than for the corresponding five months. The output of ships in Britain in January was only 58,000 tons. He hoped the output for February would be double. The main cause of the decrease was labor troubles. Unless there was a speedy improvement the point whereat production would balance the losses would be dangerously postponed. He emphasised that Britain must rely in the coming critical period upon'her own resources, for a considerable time must elapse before the desired American output materialised. ONLY 1 IN 4 CHANCES. WHAT THE GERMANS HAVE TO FACE. -Sir Eric Geddes reiterated that the submarine menace was held, but had not yet been mastered. Submarines were being increasingly destroyed. He was confident the increase would continue. He knew the German -submarine crews were growingly reluctant to put to sea, especially in the North Sea, the North Atlantic, and the Channel. The chances, of submarines in those waters returning home were about 1 in 4, and recently the Anglo-Americans were sinking submarines in home waters as fast as the enemy was building them. Britain and- her allies were now able to devote more attention to submarines in the Mediterranean. The enemy continued to increa.--ie.gly exaggerate the tonnage sunk in order' to hearten up the people.' The lasses of convoyed ships continued to be low. WRECKED CREW LANDED. Times Service. ReseivcJ March 6, 9.45 p.m. Valparaiso, March 5. A Chilian schooner landed at Talcahnano 58 officers and crew of the See Adler. They were from the schooner Fortuna, which was wrecked in tne vicinity of the Eastern Islands. NORWAY AND BRITAIN. Received 'March 6, 5.5 p.m. London, March 5. The Daily Chronicle states that the shipping controversy between Norway and Britain has been settled.