AUXILIARY CRUISER SUNK

Evening Star, Issue 16676, 7 March 1918, Page 6

AUXILIARY CRUISER SUNK

OFF IRISH COAST. THE CALGARIAN TORPEDOED. 48 LIVES LOST. LONDON, March 6. (Received March 7, at 9.55 a.m.) ; The Allan liner Calgarian, 17,515 tons, , was torpedoed off the Irish coast. There were 600 souls aboard. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association and Reuter. LONDON, March 6. < The Admiralty reports that the armed mercantile cruiser Calgarian was torpedoed and sunk on March 1. Two officers and 46 men iwere lost. [The Calgarian was built in 1914, paid was 568 ft long, with 70ft beam. Her i speed was 20i knots, developed by four screws operated by turbines. Allan Bros., ■ her owners, are a Glasgow firm.] GEDDES AND THE U BOATS. REGRETTABLE MISCONCEPTION. ONE IN FIVE FAILS TO RETURN. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association and Reuter. LONDON, March 6. ' (Received March 7, at 8.5 a.m.) Sir Eric Geddes, in the course of his statement in the Commons, said that submarines were operating to an increasing extent inshore, thus giving increasing opportunities for our patrol craft and aircraft to attack them, and enabling a greater amount of salvage to be carried out. Sir Eric Geddes concluded by paying a warm tribute to the Navy and the mer cantilc marine, and espemiUy to the destroyers and escorting craft. The Navy, indeed, was the shield of the Allies. The statement regarding the sinking of submarnes in Sir Eric Gedcles’s speech caused perplexity in the Commons. Sir Eric subsequently privately explained that what he intended to convey was that one submarine in every four or five operating in our home waters failed to return to Germany, Mr Asquith, commenting on Sir Eric Geddes’s statements, said that he regretted that more information was not given regarding British losses through submarines and the measures taken to make them good. It was unlikely that the temper of the Allies would bo endangered by the fullest disclosures. Britain’s most essential service to the allied cause was the provision of more ships; this was the •upreme need. STANDARD SHIPS. ONLY 17 COMPLETED. Reuter’s Telegrams. LONDON, March 5. (Received March 7, at 8.5 a.*;.) Sir Leo Chiozza Money stated in 'he Commons that 17 standard ships, totalling 86,000 tons, had been built to the end of February. THE WOLF’S CONSORT. SYDNEY, March 7. (Received March,7, at 9.15 ain ) It has been ascertained that the Igntz Mendi (wrecked off Jutland) was never ;n Australian waters. She loaded coal at Durban for Colombo.