THE SUBMARINE MENACE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3336, 20 February 1918, Page 15

THE SUBMARINE MENACE.

The British Admiralty supplies the following figures of shipping for the week as relating to submarines, which compare with tho prdvicus weeks as follow: Fob. 3. Feb. 10. Arrivals for week 2329 2201 Departures for week Vessels over 1600 tons sunk 10 13 Vessels under 1600 tons sunk 6 6 Unsuccessfully attacked ... 13 11 Fishing vessels sunk The Italian official report gives tho following information about shipping for the week°ended February 10:—Arrivals, 487; sailings, 431; sinkings—four steamers over 1500 three sailing vessels under 100 tons; one sailing vessel damaged. The French shipping returns for the week are:—Arrivals, 891; sailings, 841; sinkings —one over and one under 1600 tons; unsuccessfully attacked, one. Norwegian merchantmen with a tonnage of over a million have been lost during the war, and 883 seamen have- been drowned; while 53 Norwegian ships, with crews numbering over 70C, have been posted as missing. "About two-thirds of the latter are war losses. . An Italian subni;yrinc on the 12th torpedoed an armed enemy steamer near tho island of Lussin, on the Dalmatian coast. The submarine was fiercely attacked by aeroplanes and destroyers, but returned safely. The Bed Cross Society lost cargo valued at £IO.OOO by a recent sinking. Tho Spanish steamer Ceferino, laden with salt for a British colony and a general cargo, while en routo_ for Manila, was torpedoed in the neighbourhood of the Canaries. German submarine officers boarded boats containing- the Ceferino s

rescued passengers, who wer-J landed on the island Rierfo. fihey demanded tho delivery ot two Geriuanb wlio were- domiciled in tne town. Tho Mayor replied that tiiey were interned at lenentl'e. Tho Mayor and another official were conveyed aboard tho submarine as hostages, while tho Germans telegraphed to Teneriffe demanding that the internees be liberated when the statement regarding their internment was confirmed. Replying to Spanish protests against tho sinking of the steamer Giralda, Germany has offered to intern at Pola for tho duration of the war tho submarine which fled from Cadiz. The Spanish press indignantly denounces tho offer as a burlesque, a mockery, and an insult. DOVER BOMBARDED. Tho Press Bureau reports that an enemy submarine bombarded Dover at 0.10 on the morning of the 16th. - Tho submersible discharged 30 rounds in throe minutes. One child and a girl were killed, and her sister and two brothel's were injured. Three men, one woman, and another child were injured. The attack did but the slightest material damage. Apparently the L boat fired at random. Several shells whistled harmlessly over the town, and others were found imbedded in tho ground, causing no casualties. Tho remainder hit houses in a poor locality. RAID BY GERMAN DESTROYERS. Tho Admiralty reports tiiat a flotilla of large enemy destroyers made a swilt raid at 1 a.m. on the 14tn on our patrol forces in Dover Straits. They sank a trawler and seven drifters which were hunting for submarines. Tho destroyers returned northward rapidly before we were able to engage them. liesidents on tho south-east coast were awakened by violent gun-fire in the Channel, which continued for an hour. Gunflashes were plainly visible at Dover. A patrol engaged the enemy vessels, which are believed to belong to tho Zeebruggo ilotilla. Men belonging to the trawlers and minesweepers, though overwhelmed, behaved with great, gallantry. Two survivors escaped in a boat from a blazing drifter, returned when the destroyers disappeared, quenched the lire, and brought tno drifter into port. A German official report says: Our torpedo-boats on tho night of the 14th made a surprise attack upon strong forces in tho Channel between Calais and Dover and Gris Nez and Folkestone. A big guardship, numerous armed fishing vessels, and several motor-boats were forced to give battle. The largest part of these were destroyed. Our warships returned without loss or damage. CHALLENGE TO GERMAN FLEET. Lord Jellicoe, speaking at Kew, said he was not optimistic as to the Grand Fleet getting a chance against the enemy for some time. He added: "Many times I took trie Grand Fleet to the Heligoland Bight, dragging our coat, but tho enemy never trod on its tail." M. Marcel Hutin, discussing the possibility of a German naval attempt to land on the French coast fronting the EnglishChannel in conjunction with their offensive, states, that the British navy is vigilantly watching the sea front, and ardently desires to see such, an attempt. Fishermen arriving at Malmoe report tho passing of a large number of bodies of Gorman marines off the west coast of Sweden. Apparently they have not been long in the water. v SUNK IN A COLLISION. The British Admiralty reports that the destroyer Boxer was sunk in the Channel as tho result of a collision. One of the crew is missing.