SUBMARINES AND SHIPBUILDING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17321, 22 May 1918, Page 5

SUBMARINES AND SHIPBUILDING

AMERICAN VESSEL SUNK. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. WASHINGTON, May 20. The American cargo vessel M'Cullough was either mined or torpedoed in European waters, one man being drowned. AMERICAN PATROLS INCREASING. U BOAT MENACE DECREASING. Reutcr's Telegrams. WASHINGTON, May 20. The Navy Department announces that America is increasing her patrol forces in European waters. This is one of the factors of the reduced sinkings by submarines. The department feels that the submarine menace has greatly decreased. There is some reason to believe that Germany has super-submersibles of unusual power and cruising radius, but it is impossible to verify these reports. U BOAT SUNK. BY FRENCH TRAWLER.. Reuter'* Telegrams. PAiRIS, May 20. A French trawler sank a German submarine, took prisoner the commander, and liberated the captain and crew of a Spanish sailer who -were aboard the submarine, which had torpedoed the Spanish steamer Villa de S'olla. JAPANESE LESTROYERS ACTIVE. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.NEW YORK, May 20. The United Press Tokio correspondent reports that Japanese destroyers are actively patrolling the Mediterranean, and have participated in several engagements with submarines. Japanese warships on May 3, when escorting allied transports, engaged enemy submarines. One of the transports was torpedoed, but no lives were lest. THE SHIPPING NEED. WHAT AMERICA IS DOING. NEW YORK, May 20. Mr Crawford Vauglian, interviewed at Vancouver, said that the Allies would need 7,500,000 tons of new ship] ng this year to maintain their ground and despatch an American army of 1,500,000 men to France. The United Stat-es has been backward in shipbuilding hitherto, but is now making every effort to meet all demands. There has been no strike in any United States shipyards for months past, owing to the Government propaganda explanatory of its war aims. THE ZEEBRUGGE OPERATIONS. NO CHANGE IN FAIRWAY. SUBMARINE FLEET IMMOBILISED. Auntralian and N.Z. Cable Association and Reuter. LONDON, May 20. (Received May 21, at 8 p.m.) The Admiralty reports: Fine weather enabled constant air reconnaissances at Bruges and the Zeebrugge-Bruges Canal. Photographs show that no change has occurred since the 23rd of April. The greater part of the enemy's submarine and +">rpedo craft based on the Flanders coast ..ns been immobilised at Bruges 6ince the Zeebrugge blocking operation.