ON THE SEA.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 March 1918, Page 5

ON THE SEA.

THE SHIPPING POSITION. SIX MILLION TONS LOST. OUR CONSTRUCTION BEHIND STRUCTIONNEED FOR SUPREME EFFORT. Paris, March 20. The U-boats torpedoed and sank 1270 merchantmen in 1917 ajul sank by gunfire 1G59. Received March 21, 7.45 p.m. London, March 20. In the House of Commons, Sir Eric Geddes, First Lord of the Admiralty, stated that the British losses during the war period were twenty per cent. The world's tonnage had fallen by 2A per cent. The actual world's sinkings for the year ended January were roughly six million tons. Germany claimed to have sunk !)£ millions. Britain in the fourth quarter t-f IUI7 had constructed ■420,000 tons and the Allies and neutials 512.000 tons. The ; world's shipping losses in the fourth quarter of last year were 1,200,000 tons, the lowest quarter during the war, but for the current quarter it probably would be lower. The British losses for the same quarter averaged 260,000 monthly, anil British shipbuilding 140,000 monthly. Although the figures were reassuring, the January am 1 February results were disappointing. He hoped with confidence the country wouid realise the need for a supreme effort.

The world's ocean-going tonnage at the beginning of the war, excluding enemy tonnage, was 33,000,000. Referring to the percentage of looses, he said the reason for the great los, suffered by Britain was due to the submarine campaign being specially directed against Britain, with the object of starving us. He declared it was well within the capacity of the Allied yards, even the British yards, before very long, with a proper supply of material and manpower, to replace entirely ths world's losses on present figures. The output of new British tonnage in was very low, and before intense submarinism began we were over 1,300,000 tons to the bad. At present fortyseven large British shipyards are wholly engaged in the construction of oceangoing merchantmen. We had also enormously increased the output oi repaired tonnage. There was at present a need lor skilled labor. We were gradually getting skilled men from the army. Eighteen hundred skilled and unskilled men had returned to the yards to March IS, and 885 others were demobilising. The difficulties were gradually being overcome. He believed the problem was in a fair way of solution. Sir Eric Geddes confirmed the appointment of Lord Pirie as Controller-General of Merchant Shipping, under the First Lord of the Admiralty. Lord Pirie would not be a member of the Board of Admiralty, but would have direct access to the Premier and War Cabinet on shipping questions. BRITISH LOSSES. A WELCOME DECREASE. Aus. and N.Z. Cable Assoc- and Reuter. | Received March 21, 10.50 p.m. j London; March 20. The Admiralty report on tlie submarine campaign during the week gives the following figures, last week's being shown in parentheses: Arrivals 209S (20/1:0) Departures 2317 (2062) Sunk over I<SOO tons 11 (15) Sunk under 1600 tons ... 6 (3) Unsuccessfully attacked . II (8)

From March 13, 1917, to March 13, 1918, the figures are as follow: Arrivals and departures 300,483. Sunk over 1600 tons> 830. Sunk under 1600 tons, 297. Unsuccessfully attacked, 001. ITALIAN LOSSES. Received March 21, 10.55 p.m. Rome, March 20. Arrivals for the week ending-March 10 were 407, sailings 422; sinkings, steamers over 1500 tons 2, one sailer over 100 tonsFRENCH LOSSES. Aus. and N.Z. Cable Assoc. and Reuter. Received March 21, 11.30 p.m. London, March 21. | French arrivals were 975, sailings 920, sinkings were 2 over and 2 under 1000 tons.