ON THE SEA.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 August 1918, Page 5

ON THE SEA.

THE,SUBMARINE CAMPAIGN. BRITISH CONSTRUCTION BEHIND DESTRUCTION. NEW METHODS WILL REDUCE MARGIIT

Received July 31, 7.50 p.m. London, July 30,

Sir Erie Geddes (First Lord'of the Admiralty), in introducing the shipyards vote, said that a year ago, owing to the ruthless and unrestricted submarining, the Allies and neutrals were forced to contemplate a loss of 350,000 tons monthly. This had been converted during the last quarter into a gain of 100,000 tons monthly. We had not been able to construct ships (so far as England was concerned) as fast as they were' being destroyed by submarines, as our shipyards had lacked men and material.

Our ships had been sinking at a rate which would soon have brought u9 to the point of inability to continue the war. We were, therefore, compelled to embark on an increased programme of building anti-submarine craft and merchant ships. There were 130,000 men now employed on the construction Of war vessels, and 120,000 were building merchant ships. Our success against submarines foretold the final result.

Britain had borne the principal burden of fighting the submarines. The American programme was now beginning to arrive. When the flow of American destroyers and anti-submarine craft' began it would become a formidable torrent, and then enable Britain to devote •her greater effort to the replacement of merchant ships. The existing measures reduced the menace, but considerable additions were required before they reached the necessary margin of safety. The national shipyards would ulti* mately be able to build a 10,000-tonner in five months, aggregating a hundred vessels yearly. The British shipping situation would be unsatisfactory until the building programme compensated much more for the losses.

We lost 1,300,000 tons in the first eix months of 1918 and built 760,000 tons. This was somewhat depressing after the earlier announcement that Eubmarinings were well in hind. He hoped the new measures would largely decrease this margin of loss, but it was a mistake to hope that the national shipyards would yet make a, great contribution.

EIGHT STEEL SHIPS. AMERICA'S OUTFOT LAST WEEK. Received July 31, 7.40 p.m. Washington, July 30. Eight steel ships, of a total, deadweight tonnage of 35,890 tons, were completed last week. It is officially announced that the vessels launched last Week included ten steel ships of a total tonnage of 52,250 tons, and Ave wooden ships of e total tonnage of 19,200 tons.—Press Assoc.