AMERICAN NAVY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 10000, 18 June 1918, Page 6

AMERICAN NAVY

INCREASED PERSONNEL . LARGE DESTROYER FORCE SENT TO EUROPE. / Bj T»:esvni-.h—l'reaa A»s-icitt-inn—Cor-yr:»B-Vustrallan and N.Z. Cablo Association. (Received June 18, 52.30 a.m.) ' WASHINGTON, Juno 16. . Tho Navy Department has strongly urged upon Congress the need for increasing the enlisted strength of the Navy to 101,453. Tho strength now is 37,000. 1c is pointed out that there is only ono commander of the transport and cruiser force. If tho nation had to meet an attack with separato cruiser and scout forces thoro would not bo a commander for both. Three additional rear-admirals are needed to remedy this defect. Tho destroyer and submarine forces could not be properly organised if it were necessary to divert them to fight against surface craft instead of submarines. Increasing tho strength of tho Navy to 131,458 would giro 5,600 officers instead of 3,700.' It is further pointed out that the United States must prepare for a larger Navy after the war, when the world will be in a "perturbed state." The Navy Department announces that America will send ISO destroyers to European waters during 1918. SUNKEN VESSEL WORK OF ADMIRALTY SALVAGE DEPARTMENT. iustralUu and Jf.Z. Cablo, Association. (Received June 17, 11.45 p.m.) LONDON, June 17. The Admiralty salvagia department ha 3 salved 407 vessels. In one case a benzine-laden ship caught fire and ' exploded. The vessfcl was scuttled, forty shots being fired into her. Divers then descended and plugged the shot ho.vas; then she was pumped out and taken to port. In another case a'ship was torpedoed with a cargo worth three 4 million sterling, and sank. She had a hole measuring 40 feet by 28 f.t.-t. A standardised patch was quickly bolted on and a new submersible motor-pump pumped out some of the holds from which the cargo was emptied. The vessel tlam floated and was docked, practically all her cargo being saved. Chemists havo discovered a remarkable spraying preparation for counteracting the sulphuretted hydrogen from decomposed meat and wheat, which often made it impossible for divers to work in the holds of sunken vessels. HEaVY €AS ATTACK AMERICANS'' EXPERIENCE AT FRONT. AU'tralicn and N.Z. Case's Aeaociation. (Received June 18, 12.30 a.m.) NEW YORK, June "17. The "New York Times" correspondent with the American Army states that thjfi Germans fired more than 1500 gas shells on tho American positions north-west of Chateau Thierry in two 'hours and a half. This was the heaviest gas attack yet withstood by the Americans. PEACE DISCUSSIONS GERMANY WILL NOT RESUME THEM LN PUBLIC. Australian "and N.Z. Cable A^oolatlon. PARIS, Juno 15. The 'Munich "Neueste Nachrichten" publishes a semi-official note declaring" that Germany will never resume public discussion of peace proposals owing to her unpleasant experiences with previous proposals. Tho note suggests that tho only*mean3 the belligerents have of reaching an understanding arc by secret negotiations. DISGI?Li^E_ GERMAN SOLDIERS AND BOLSHEVIK IDEAS. , Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. COPENHAGEN, June 10. The Socialists in the Reichstag attacked the military authorities, accusing them of keeping regular officers behind the front while tho reserve officers were sent to tho firing lino. They also complained of the excessive disciplinary measures. General Wriseberg said that it was necessary to maintain strict discipline, as the soldiers returning from Russia were imbued with .bolshevik idoae, and w«re everywhere circulating revolutionary pamphlets. WSIHEMfI'S ESO STEAMER TORPEDOED WITHOUT WARNING. By Te'.esraph—Prw Awciatira—Co>yr!*lit MELBOURNE, June 17. Officers from the torpedoed steamer Waihemo (of the Union Steam Ship Company's fleet) have arrived, en route to New Zealand. They state that tho ship was torpedoed without warning early in the morning and sank in fifteen minutes. AMERICAN. BEGRUITIH6 PROVISIONS OF BRITISH-AMERI-CAN CONVENTION. ■ Australian and N.Z. Oablo Asflociation. WASHINGTON, June 16. Irishmen and Australians aro exempted, under tho provisions of a BritishAmorican Military Convention, which, now awaits ratification by tho Senate. All Americans in Britain or Canada, between tho ages of 21 and 81, aro liable to conscription in tho British forces, and all Britons in the United States of tho same ages aro liable to vno drafted (into tho United Staftes Army.