THE SUBMARINE WAR.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16274, 26 July 1918, Page 7

THE SUBMARINE WAR.

WHITE STAR LINER TORPEDOED. (By Coble.—Press Association.—Copyright.) (Australian and. K.Z. Oabl* Association.) . NEW YORK, July 24. The Y\ hi to Star liner Justicia was sunk on tho Irish coast. i Four hundred landed in Ireland. The vessel, which was outward-bound, fought a U-boat for twenty-four hours. Oniy eloven wer© killed. Tho Justicia was a triple scrow stoel steamer of 32,120 tons, built by Harland and Wolff, at Belfast, in 1917. She was 740.7 feet in length, and 86.4 feet in breadth. THE DESTRUCTION OP THE JUSTICIA. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Received July 25th, 11.20 p.m.) LONDON, July 24. The Justicia was sunk on the north coast of Ireland on, Saturday. Eleven of the crew were killed by various torpedo explosions. The remainder were safely landed. The German submarine authorities state that the Justicia was provided with largo steel nets to prevent torpodoes reaching her sides. She had often been attacked by submarines without result. The survivors state that tho sea was calm and 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. Tho crew were speedily mustered on deck and px-eparations made to tow tho vessel to port. Tho tug came alongside, wlfim a couple moro torpodoos were fired.. These missed, passing between the tug and the Justicia. Tho submarine made further attempts before nightfall and dur-' ing the night to complete tho destruction of the liner, but without success. A final attempt was made at 8 o'clock on Saturday morning. When the Justicia was being towed a torpedo struok the engine-room; almost simultaneously another penetrated her forehold, and it was obvious that her fate had been sealed. The crew of 700 were ordered to abandon the liner, which remained afloat until 2 o'clock, the survivors reaching port j}t nightfall. ATTACKED BY EIGHT SUBMARINES. (Received July 26th, 12JO a.m.) LONDON, July 24. Some accounts say that eight sabmarines attacked the Justicia. British destroyers fired a number of depth charges, and a general engage- _ inent with the submarines took place. Tlie crew throughout refused to leave the Justicia until patrols took them off after the last .two torpedoes struck her on Saturday morning. No passenger? were aboard. THE U-BOAT MENACE. (Australian and K.Z. Cable Association.) (Router's Tfllaprartw.) . (Received July 25th, 7.2Q p.m.) LONDON, July 24. Conclusive proof of the determination of the U-boat meiuice is afforded by. the Admiralty's latest statement, i which showß the losses of merchant tonnage. It- reveals that tho total lossob of the world's merchant ships for the month of June was 275,629 gross tons, comprising 161,062' British, 114,667 Allied and. neutral. These figures show a monthly drop in the world's sinkings of 81,905 tons, comparedwith May, 37,786 tons compared with April, and 125,834 tons' compared with Much. All theso months are of this ' year, while v oompared with the month of June of last year, the world's drop is 437,092.

lie purely British .drops are 64,721" tons, compared with May, 67,005 compared with April, 63,604 compared with March this year, 271,333 eompared wjth Juno of last year. .• The losses of the world's tonnage, in- ' eluding marine risks, are lower for tho month of June, 1918, than any month since September, 1916. Comparing quarterly periods the losses for three months ending June were lower than in any quarter since the third, quarterof 1916. ■ The sailings exceed the high level of recent months. The total sailings for the quarter ending June 30th amount to 7,430,386 gross tons, being considerably higher than the two preceding quarters. A MESSAGERIES STEAMER SUNK (Australian and N.Z. Cabl* Association.) (Received July 25th, 7.20 p.m.) LONDON, July 24. The Messageries steamer Austr§lien ; haa been sank. ' The Australien was a steamship of 6377 tons, built in 1889, ,at Marseilles. . GERMAN EXPERTS OPINION. i > (Received July 25th, 7.20. p.m.) AMSTERDAM, July 24. Captain Persius, in an article in the "Tageblatt," says:—"lt would be foolish to expect that fantastic hopes that submarine warfare would starve Eng- . land and rob her of her mastery of the sea, would be fulfilled. We must tell the German people the truth, as only the truth 'will make them confident of reaching the goal of peace, and ensure the existence of the German Empire." A DETERMINED FIGHT. (Beutex's Telegrams.) (Received July 25th, 9 p.m.) LONDON, July 24. During the Justicia's fight- of 24 hours with tho submarine, ten torpedoes were fired. Tho first wrecked . the engine-room, and stopped the ship.. Another was also effective. Four were exploded by gunfire from the ship. No passengers were lost. Ten of the crew are dead.