SUBMARINE WAR.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume III, Issue 865, 17 November 1916, Page 8

SUBMARINE WAR.

REPRISALS PROPOSED. VICTORY MUST COME FIRST. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. LONDON, November 15. In the House of Lords, Lord Sydenham asked the Government for a definite declaration of its policy on behalf of the Allies with regard to the monstrous proceedings of German submarines. There was an uneasy feeling in the country that the submarine menace was more serious than the authorities admitted. He would like the Government to make a declaration that it would exact a ton of shipping for every ton lost. The Government should also give greater freedom of action to the fleet. Lord Bercsford said that the Foreign Office had entirely taken over the naval policy, and had handicapped the Navy's work. We had abandoned the policy of attack, and had substituted that of the defence of the mercantile marine. There was a great danger that our food and material supplies would be placed in peril. The Board of the Admiralty must be strengthened by the introduction of new blood and of younger men fresh from the sea.

Lord Crewe said it was useless to say that we would exact this or that as reparation unless we were able to impose the terms of peace by obtaining a complete victory. The only voice which could speak with authority now was the voice of the cannon on the Allied fronts. The misdeeds of their submarines were only a small part of German crimes. There was the sinking of the Lusitania, the murder of Nurse Cavell, the murder of Captain Fryatt, and the Belgian and Polish atrocities. Before anything could be done we must complete our victory- The Government was making the necessary preparations to arm the mercantile marine. The Admiralty had been singularly successful in the destruction of submarines, but the difficulties of dealing with them had increased.