ON THE SEA.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 July 1918, Page 5

ON THE SEA.

24 HOURS' FIGHT. TEN TORPEDOES FIRED. New York, July 24. The White Star liner Justitia lias been sunk off the Irish coast. Four hundred of those on board have landed in Ireland. She was outward bound. She fought a U-boat for 21 hours. Only eleven were killed. —Air. >T.Z. Cable Assoc. Received July 25, 8.30 p.m. London, July 24. During the Justitia's twenty-four hour fight with the submarine ten torpedoes were fired. The first wrecked the engineroom and stopped the ship. Another was effective, and four were exploded by gunfire from the ship. No pasesngers were lost. Ten of the crew are dead.— Renter / Received July 25, U .20 p.m. London, July 24. The Justitia was sunk off the north coast of Ireland on Saturday. Eleven of the crew were killed by the various torpedo explosions. The remainder safely landed. The German submarine authorities state that the Justitia was provided with large steel nets to prevent torpedoes reaching the sides. She was often attacked W submarines without result. Survivors state that the sea was oalin ar.d the coast just out of sight on Friday afternoon when a terrific explosion shook the vessel from end to end. There was not the slightest panic. The crew speedily mustered on deck. Preparations were made to tow the vessel to port. The tug was alongside when a couple more torpedoes were fired. These missed, passing between the tug and the Justitia. The submarine ityade further attempts before nightfall and during the night to complete the destruction of the liner without success. The final attempt was made at eight o'clock on Saturday morning, when the Justitia was in tow. A torpedo struck the engine room. Almost simultaneously another penetrated the foretold, and it was obvious her fate was sealed. The crew of seven hundred were ordered to aibandon the liner, which remained afloat until two o'clock, the survivors reaching port at nightfall.—Press Assoc.

EIGHT SUBMARINES ATTACK. Received July 26, 12.1(3 a.m, liondon, July 24. Some accounts say that eight submarines attacked the Justitia. British destroyers fired a number of depth charges, and a, general engagement with the submarines took pkoe. The crew throughout refused to leave the Justitia until the patrols took them off atfter the last two tonpedoea had atrucik her on Saturday morning. No passengers were alboard—Press Assoc. THE U-BOAT CAMPAIGN. A DECIDED DROP IN SINKINGS. Received July 25, 7.20 p.m. London, July 24. Conclusive proof of the determination of the U-boat menace is afforded by the Admiralty's latest statement, which dhows the losses of merchant tonnage. It reveals the total losses of the world's merchant ships for the month of June at 275,029 gross tons, comprising 101,062 British and 114,587 allied and neutral. These figures show a monthly drop of the world's sinkings of 81,905 tons compared with May, 37,786 tons compared with April, and 125,834 tons compared with March (all these months of this year), while compared with the month of June of last year the world's drop is 437,092. Purely British drops are 04,627 tons compared with May, 67,005 compared with April, and 63,604 tons compared with March (all of this year), and 271,333 tons compared with June of last year.

The losses of the world's tonnage, including marine risk, are lower for the month of June, 1918, than for any month since September, 1916. Comparing the quarterly periods, the losses for the months ending June were lower than in any quarter since the third quarter of 1916. The sailings exceed the high level of recent months. The total sailings for the quarter ended June 30 amounted to 7,430,386 gross tons, being considerably ! higher than in the two preceding quarters.—Press Assoc.

LOSS OF THE WAITEMATA. SOME OF THE OFFICERS. Wellington, Last Night. Captain G. Ferguson was in command of the Waitemata, and Mr. A. V. Barton, as far as is known, was third officer. The following engineers are believed to have been on the Waitemata when she was sank: Chief, G. R. Skinner; second, J. Hamer; third, J. P. Henderson; fourth E. R. Revington. The Waitemata was a steel screw steamer of 5432 tons gross, a.nd was built in 1908 by W. Hamilton and Co., of Glasgow, for the Union Steamship Co. Her principal dimensions were: Length, 415 ft.; breadth, 54ft.; depth 17.6 ft. She was last at Wellington about six months ago, when she sailed for England under the control of the Imperial Government and in command of Captain G. Ferguson. Mr. A. V. Barton was third officer. Previous to her being commandeered she was engaged in the Pacific trade. The Waitemata made her first, appearance at Wellington on August 14, 1908. She was very similar in construction to the Wairuna and Waihora, but different in one respect—she had a greater number of hatches, which naturally gave her a largo cargo-carrying c&pacity. She was fitted with all the latest appliances, and 5 was able to steam 11 knots per hour. FRENCH LINER SUNK. Received July 25, 7.20 p.m. London, July 24. The Messageries steamer Au9tralien ■ ha9^been-»aiik.—'Eres^AsßOC.

ENGLAND'S SUPREMACY OF THE SEA.

TELLING THE GERMANS THE TRUTH. Received July 25, 7.20 p.m. Amsterdam, July 24. Captain Persius, in ail article in tlie Tageblatt, says: "It is foolish to expect that the fantastic hopes that submarines will starve England or rob liar of her mastery of the sea will be fulfilled. We must tell the German people the truth, as only the truth will make them confident of reaching the goal of a peace ensuring the existence of the German empire.—Press Assoc.