THE SUBMARINE MENACE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3344, 17 April 1918, Page 16

THE SUBMARINE MENACE.

The British Admiralty supplies the following figures of shipping for the week as relating to submarines, which compare with the previous week as follows: Mar. 31. Apl. 7. Arrivals for week ... 2416 2534 Departures for week <s4/a Vessels over 1600 tons sunk 6 4 Vessels under 1600 tons sunk 7 2 Unsuccessfully attacked ... 15 11 Fishing boats sunk 5 The French Admiralty reports:—Arrivals for week, 1045; departures, 1045. Two vessels over 1600 tons were sunk, and one vessel was' unsuccessfully attacked. Italian shipping: Arrivals for the week, 344 ; sailings, 412. Sinkings: One steamer over 1500 tons and three sailing vessels, one of which was over 100 tons. , The American steamer Ely Occidento had a 20 minutes'- sensational fight with two submarines in European waters. She smashed the periscope of one of the submarines and drove off the other U-boat. It is reported here that the liner Mmnetonka (13,528 tons, built in 1902) has been sunk. , The announcement is made that the naval collier Cyclops (19,000 tons) is believed to bo lost, with 293 of crew and passengers. The vessel is a month overdue. She left the West Indies on March 14, and no trace of her has been found since. Official advices state that Germany has established a submarine blockade of Spanish ports. This action has been taken because Spain agred to the delivery of supplies for American troops in France. Many American submarines have gone to European waters without mishap. Archibald Hurd (the Daily Telegraphs naval correspondent) writes:—A number of American Dreadnoughts have for months past been operating under Admiral Beatty.

They arc the newest vessels, "with a powerful armament, with splendid personnel and equipment; There are also under Admiral, Bcatty American cruisers, gunboats, and valuable small craft. There are 35,000 American officers and men serving in European waters. The Royal Navy specially appreciates American co-operation against submarines. » . ATTACK ON LIBERIA. A German submarine appeared off the coast of the negro ropublio of Liberia on April 9, and seized a small armed vessel, which was torpedoed after. _ her crew had been taken prisoner. U-boat commander threatened to bombard Monrovia (capital of Liberia) unless the authorities dismantled* the wireless station and closed thb French cables. This was done, but later the commander insisted on the destruction, of the wireless plant -and the submarine cable. The Government of Liberia refused to do this, and the German commander thereupon bombarded Monrovia for one hour and destroyed the cable and wireless stations, causing some casualties. -\ A passing steamer interrupted the submarine, and a fight between the two vessels followed, but with what result is not stated. A GERMAN REPORT. A ' official statement saysT "British monitors and aeroplanes oh the night of April 12 attacked the coast of Flanders, bombarded Ostend,'and bombed Zeebruggo. Our batteries repulsed the attacks.-- An enenv torpedo boat apiDroached Ostend, but was shot at and set afire, and on being abandoned was captured, with its full equipment." The Admiralty says in reference to the above that a small motor bbat is missing. THE GERMAN NAVY. It is rumoured that three German ships have been sunk westward of the Maas 'ghtships. A German torpedo boat struck a mine and sank off Zeebrugge, the crew being rescued. A, detachment of the German navy is anchored at Helsingfors (Finland naval basS). The first_ German Dreadnought of a new* type, constituting a special squadron, is now being finished at Kiel. The naval correspondent of The Times, London, says that nothing is more likely than the appearance of the German fleet,to assist the proposed smashing of the ; British army. Attempts to use the German fleet to cover a landing in Britain are improbable, though a landing at Nieuport and Dunkirk to assist the Gorman land forces in turning the left flank of the British army is just conceivable under most favourable circumstances. But a project with ' fe%ver obstacles- and greater discomfort to the Allies would be for the German fleet to push south to break down our guard of the Strait of Dover, using merely light, fast, wellarmed craft. The task of these would bo to rush our naval defences, and bo permit the passage of • swarms of Gei'man submarines and mine-layers, in an attempt to cut the communications between Britain and France, the German fleet meanwhile endeavouring to keep off Admiral Benttv's forces. Such an attemnt. says the correspondent, would fulfil the British and American fleets most ardent wishes. i ANOTHER DESTROYER LOST. The British Admiralty reports that a destroyer was sunk on April 4 as the result of a collision in foggy weather. All hands are missing.