NOT THE LEAST DIFFERENCE.

Grey River Argus, 5 February 1917, Page 3

NOT THE LEAST DIFFERENCE.

CANNOT BE WORSE THAN BEFORE. ... • 1 NAVY FULLY ALIVE (Received February 4. 5.5 p.m.] LONJ3ON. February 3. Germany's latest threat is not making the least difference to the crews of merchantmen, who are confident of the Navy's power to cope with every difficulty. I The National Sailors' and Firemen's j Union states that British sailors are not intimidated by threats of fright{fulness. Nothing that the Potsdam i pirates can do in future can be worse than the terrors which seamen have" experienced in the past. .If twenty ships were to sign on to-day, there J would not be the slightest difficulty in gcttingmcn. They are made of the right stuff. -v I The consensus of opinion in shipping circles is that the only difference is that the Admiralty will have to copewith more numerous and larger submarines. ) It is stated that three . submarines are completed each week by Germany, there being 60 boats between Dantzig and Wilhelmshaven. The crews have been given intensive training and promised high rewards. ' 1 The British Admiralty has long known these facts and has devafced unremitting attention to the vital business of suppressing the menace. The Admiralty has also greatly increased • R lts experience in dealing wish mming. The Germans are continuously mining certain parts of the North bea, which our trawlers are regularly sweeping. German mining craft are novvfl-oing farther afield, but it- is impossible to mine the ocean: Mine- 1 fteids _ must be placed on certain banks 1 and m certain ijarrow waters where < they are able to be discovered. ] . r