ON THE SEA.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 February 1917, Page 5

ON THE SEA.

THE SUBMARINE TOLL LOSSES SINCE AUGUST 1. REPLACING THE TONNAGE. GERMAN LOSSES. Received Feb. 1, 10.35 p.m. London, Feb 1. Archibald Hurd, writing in the Daily Telegraph, says that since the beginning flt August the enemy sank S.'ll merchantmen, whereof 204 were British, 2211 Allied, and 3-W neutrals The gravity of the situation was not altered by the .fact that a large proportion of the losses were not British, because we rely "" the world's tonnage, having embarked half of our merchant shipping into nav.il una military operations. Submarines arc a greater peril than an invasion, but fortunately we possess the necessary shipyards anil ciigincshops to enable us to turn out 2110 or more standardised cargo boats within a reasonable time, provided there was proper organisation. The matter must be taken in hand without delay. In the Paris Bureau, "Veritas," summing up the losses, of merchant shipping between August, 1014, and .January 1, 1017. states that the German losses were 400 vessels, whereof 152 ,vcre destroyed, 257 captured and used l>v the AJfe representing losses of 1,280.000 U;*« out of a total of 3,200,000 tons, oi 21 pM' cent. German cruisers destroyed 12(i vessels, whereof IflS were British, and German submarines destroyed 1520 ship?., totalling 3.000.000 tons whereof 1110 were British ship", of a total of 1,300,000 tons, or 11 per cent, pf the prewar fleet. Britain had built about 030 ships, so the loss was virtually made good. France had lost 12 per cent, of her tonnage, Italy none. Portugal had increased her merchant navy by seizing 1(10,000 tons of German shipping. GERMAN OFFICIAL FIGURES. Times Service. Received Feb. 1, 10.35 p.m. London. Feb. 1. Berlin official: One hundred iuxl tittytwo enemy steamers, totalling S2fl,ooo\ tons, and sixty-five neutrals, carrying' contraband, were sunk in December. During the war 4,000,000 tons of enemy shipping have been sunk, whereof 3.000,000 were British, also 401 neutral vessels totalling 537,000 tons THE LAURENTIC. DETAILS OF DISASTER TERRIBLE SUFFERINGS. THE RESCUE WORK London, Jan. 31. The Laurcn'Jc was ''•" utes after tluf explosion, which killed niiny. Perfect order nrevailed through out, the crew responding to orders witii precision and loyalty. The survivors pay a liigh tribute to the captain. They say he was a hero, With an electric torch in his hand he stayed on hoard to the last, looking in every corner in case any should be left, and sometimes up to his shoulders in water.

After the explosion an attempt was made to beach the ship, and meanwhile the boats were got ready and roclccts sent up, as the explosion had destroyed the wireless. A lighthouseman saw the rockets, and a number of mine-sweep-ers were soon speeding to help. The Laurentic finally sank in 23 fathoms. There was accommodation in the lifeboats for all who survived the explosion. Some estimated that 475 men were on board, making the death roll 350. The vessel was manned entirely by navy ratings. A gaping hole was torn in the side of the ship, and from the first it was seen to be hopeless to save her. Forty of those injured by the explosion were placed in tho boats while the vessel was sinking by the head. The terror of the scene as she made her final plunge was appalling. Scores of sailors went down in the vortex never to rise. The sea was dotted with men making brave but ever feebler efforts for life.

Hundreds of bodies have already been washed ashore in* a frozen condition, which shows that there is no hope of others who were able to sling to wreckage surviving in the icy water, which was the coldest experienced in the north of Ireland for many years.

It was now pitch dark. The lifeboats were provided with flares, and, while these lasted in was possible to locate the small boats in the waste of water, but the rescuing mine-sweepers had to cover 20 miles, and the flares were exhausted before some of the mine-sweepers arrived, making the search a lengthy one. Men in one boat were for seven hours in the perishing cold before they were rescued. The local authorities ashore requisitioned motors, sent them to clothing shops and second-hand establishments, and collected coats, trousers and overcoats. Hundreds of hot-water bottles were also filled, the citizens supplying thermos flasks with coffee. The motors then luuirned to the shore and distributed relief, THE CAPTAIN'S EVIDENCE. TWO EXPLOSIONS. MANY FROZEN IN BOATS. Received Feb. 1, 5.20 p.ir> London, .Tan. 31. At the inquest, Captain Norton, of the Lanrentic. gave evidence that there were 470 aboard when she sailed at 5 o'clock on the evening of the 2Hth. The first explosion occurred at i).ssi, there being another 20 seconds later. The best order prevailed. Witness and the chief I steward inspected the ship before quitting, and were satisfied that no men were left aboard. Possibly the explosion killed some of the men in the en-gine-room, as no survivors therefrom were landed. Captain Norton added that he quitted the ship when she was sinking. Other evidence showed that- one boat contained seventeen frozen .bodies. - And.