ON THE SEA.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 April 1918, Page 5

ON THE SEA.

SUBMARINE LOSSES. A SUBSTANTIAL DECREASE. Received April 4, 8.10 p.m. London, April 3. The Admiralty supplies the following figures of shipping for the week as relating to submarines, which compare with the previous week as follows: Mar 24. Mar 31 Arrivals 2471 2416 Departures .... 2488 247!) Sunk over lfiOO tons ... 10 6 Sunk under 1000 tons .12 7 Unsuccessfully attacked 19 15 Five Ashing vessels were sunk. FRENCH FIGURE& Received April 4, 8.10 p.m. Paris, April 3. The French arrivals for the week were 1170 and departures 1005. The sinkings were nil, as against 1 over and 5 under 1600 tons in the previous week. ITALIAN FIGURES. Received April 4, 8.10 p.m. Rome, April 3. The Italian arrivals were 381; sailings 3f>o; sinkings, 3 steamers above ISOO tons, 1 sailer above 100 tons and 9 sailers under 100 tons. Last week's figures were: 3 steamers over 1500 tons, 2 sailers over 100 tons, and 3 sailers under 100 tons.

NEW TONNAGE. A GRATIFYING INCREASE IN CONSTRUCTION. Received April 4, 8.35 p.m. London, April 3. Ihe Admiralty announces that for the year ended March 31, 1917, there were completed merchantmen of 692,22f> gross tonnage in the United Kingdom's shipyards. For the year ended March 31, 1918, there were completed 1,237,515 tons. The output shows a steady upward tendency, reaching a record of 161,674 tons in March The men working locally have taken to heart the anxiety caused by the comparatively low outputs for January of 58,568 tons and February of 100,038 tons.

[Sir Eric Geddes (First Lord of the Admiralty) stated last month that the British losses by submarine for the last quarter of 1917 averaged 260,000 tons monthly. Britain in the same quarter had constructed new tonnage of 420,000, and the Allies and neutrals 512,000. He declared, however, that it was well within the capacity of the Allied yards, even the British yards, before long, with a proper supply of material and manpower, to replace entirely the world's losses on present figures.]

A DESTROYER SUNK. ALL ABOARD SAVED. Received April 4, 835 p.m. London, April 3. The Admiralty reports that a destroyer was sunk on April 1, as the result of a collision, and all aboard were saved. A STEAMER SUNKCREW MASSACRED IN BOATS. Received April 7, 7.55 p.m. London, April 3. The steamer Conargo, formerly the Altona, waa torpedoed off the Irish coast on March 31. Fifteen were saved. Thir-ty-five are missing. The Conargo was proceeding to New York in ballast. The crew of 50 boarded three boats, two of which were blown up either by torpedoes or gunfire. A collier picked up the third, containing 15GREEK STEAMER SUNK. London, April 3. A submarine shelled and sank the Greek steamer , Salidino, trading with British ports. Seven of the crew were saved and fifteen are missing.