Official

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXX, Issue 59, 26 October 1914, Page 3

Official

ADMSRALTY STATEMENT.

£Phb Pkbsb Association.] Wellington, October 24

The Premier has received the following from the High Commissioner — .“Official: The Admiralty announces that eight of nine German cruiser's are believed to be at large in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans, searching and working in concert. There are’upwards of seventy British (including Australian), Japanese, French and Russian cruisers, not including the auxiliary cruisers. Among these are a number of the fastest British cruis-

ers. The vast expanses of sea and ocean, and the many thousands of islands in the various archipelagos offer an almost infinite choice of movement to the enemy’s ships. In spite of every effort to cut off their coal supply, this has hitherto been maintained in the face of increasing difficulties. The discovery and destruction of these few enemy cruisers lire, therefore, largely a matter of time, patience, and good luck.

“The public should have the confidence that the Commander-iii-Chief experiences, that the captains are doing all that is possible,, and taking the best stops to bring the enemy to action. They are also occupied with very serious and important convoy duty. This work has somewhat lessened, ana the number of searching cruisers is being continually augmented. Meanwhile, merchant ships must observe Admiralty instructions, of which it is obviously impossible to specify all the precautions suggested. Where these instructions have been followed, they have proved effective. Where they have been disregarded captures have been made. The sartie vastness of the sea which has enabled the German cruisers to avoid capture will protect t/ade. The only alternative methods that could now be adopted would be the marshalling of merchantmen in regular convoys at stated intervals. It is not thought necessary to hamper trade by enforcing such a system. The percentage of loss is much less than was reckoned on before the war. Of 4000 British ships engaged in foreign trade, only 27 have been sunk by the enemyb besides seven now overdue in Atlantic waters. The rate of insurance on cargoes, which at the outbreak of 'war was fixed at five guineas, is now reduced to 2 per cent., without injury to the solvency of the fund. For hulls, apart from Cargoes, insurance has also been considerably reduced. About 9000 foreign voyages have been undertaken to and from the United Kingdom ports, and less than five per thousand have been interfered with. Of these, the losses of a large number have been caused by merchant vessels taking everything for granted, and proceeding without precautions. “The German oversea trade has practically ceased to exist. Their fast ships, which could have been used as auxiliary cruisers, were promptly penned in neutral harbors, or took refuge in their own. Among the comparatively few German ships out, 133 have been captured, nearly four times the number of those lost by the British _ mercantile marine. There is no occasion for anxiety, and no excuse for complaint. The more fully the facts concerning our trade protection by the Royal Navy can be disclosed, and the more attentively studied, the greater will be the confidence and satisfaction with which the situation is viewed.” Sydney, October 25.

Passengers by the Tai-Yuan report that when the vessel departed Irom Manila on October 6, hxxeen coa!laden steamers were there, awaiting a chance to slip away, presumably to coal the German warships. A few days previously two colliers, the Posig and Tunnerfels, laden with coal, were captured by a British auxiliary cruiser. The business is mostly conducted by German or Filipino firms. One sent three shipments to German warships, and made an open secret of the fact that he had coaled the Eraden. Governor Harrison remonstrated with him. Guarantees have been given that there will be no re-exportation of coal or frozen meat.