ON THE HIGH SEAS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 16115, 25 April 1918, Page 3

ON THE HIGH SEAS.

THE RAID ON ZEEBRUCCE. DARING WORK OF NAVY. CANAL SUCCESSFULLY BLOCKED. LONDON. April 23. Sir Eric decides, speaking in the House of Commons, announced that French destroyers had co-opcratcd in the raid on Zeehrugge and Ostend . It was a.n extremely gallant and hazardous undertaking under Vico-Ad-miral Eoger Kayes. The object was to block the entrances to Zeehrugge and Ostend. Six obsolete cruisers—tho Brilliant, Sirius, Intrepid, Iphigonia Thotis, and Vindictive—participated in the attack. The first five wore, filled with concrete to bo sunk in the channel and tho entrances to Zeehrugge and Osteud. The Daffodil and Isis carried the landing, storming, and demolition parties, whose work was to. destroy the head of the Zeehrugge mole. The cruiser Vindictive was fitted with landingbows and flame-throwers. The men employed in tho block-ships, storming, and demolition parties were selected from a largo number of volunteers for which there was great competition. Light forces from Dover and Harwich, under Commodore Tyrwhitt, covered the operations which were most intricate. It was necessary to adhere to a strict time-table, as it involved an attack on a hostile coast, requiring delicate navigation without lights, and • an added danger was the unknown minefields. Essentials to success were the scientific use of smoko or fog, combined with certain wind conditions, to protect the attackers from the enemy batteries. Monitors were ordered to carry out an intense bombardment of Zeehrugge for an hour, then the Vindictive was to run alongside the head mole and attack it with gun-fire and land the storming and demolition parties. ' Three block-ships, assisted by coastal motor-boats and launches, were ordered to make for the entrance to the canal and run aground and ho blown up. Two submarines with explosives, were ordered to run against the pUcwork connecting the masonry part of the mole with the shore, thus cutting off the mole. The operations at Ostend were more simple. Two block-ships were ordered to run ashore and blow up at the entrance to the port. The difficulties hero were increased by tho mist and rain, and as a consequence tho absence of effective aerial co-operation. The so far as known, were that tho twot block-ships wore run ashore at Ostend,) blown up and abandoned. It was too early to say definitely whether they ac->' complished their objective, observation* being difficult owing to tho mist. OflK cors in the vicinity reported that they) believed those vessels were slightly oft the course. Two out of three of the block-ships! at Zeehrugge attained their objectives; being sunk and blown up in the entrance to tho canal, while the third, went aground while going in. Dam-\ age, the extent of which is unknown, was done to enemy destroyers and other craft alongside the mole by gunfire and torpedo attacks. Motor-boats report having torpedoed an enemy destroyer which attempted to escape to sea. One old submarine attained its objective when blown up, destroying tho piling at the approach to the mole. The storming parties from the Vindictive, Iris, and Daffodil fought with tho greatest possible gallantry, maintaining positions alongside the mole for an hour and causing much damage. The objectives of the storming parties were tho mole, tho force, holding it, the battery there, and tile large seaplane base. The Vindictive, Iris, and Daffodil, after re-embarking the landing parties, withdrew successfully. This attack was primarily intended to engage the attention of tho garrison of the mole, thereby allowing the blockships to enter tho harbour, and this would have been impossible without the attack on the mole which was successful. He regretted tho casualties in the personnel were heavy in proportion to the numbers engaged. The Vindictive had reached its base and the Iris and Daffodil were reported to be returning. Our losses so far reported were a destroyer sunk by gun-fire from tho mole, and two coastal motor-boats and two launches missing. The opinion of the Admiralty is that the greatest possible credit was duo to all concerned for a very gallant undertaking carried out with signal success. Tile co-operation between the units engaged and the synchronisation of all the forces was most remarkable. The officer who developed the smoko attack was killed. Most of the officers and men were fighting all night. Some had not yet returned. There was sufficient information to show that the entrance to the Bruges Canal has been properly and effectively blocked and considerable material damage done. Mr. Reginald M’Kenna, a former First Lord of the Admiralty, congratulated the Navy upon a very gallant action. MESSAGE FROM THE KING. The King has sent a message to the Vice-Admiral at Dover;—“i heartily congratulate you and your forces upon the marked success of last night’s operations. Tho splendid gallantry displayed under exceptionally hazardous circumstances fills me witn pride and admiration.”

THE SUBMARINE CAMPAIGN NEW METHOD OF STATING LOSSES (Received April 25, f 1.50 a.in.) LONDON, April 24. The Admiralty announces tlic discontinuance of the weekly shipping returns, substituting therefor information as to the gross tonnage lost, also tiio tonnage of the sailings to and from the United Kingdom. These will bo issued monthly and published on the 21st of each month. Approximate tables of the merchant tonnage lost from all causes last month show tiiati Hi© British,, total was, SlfijQOO

tons, and the combined Allied and neutral total 166,000 tons. In tlio first quarter of 1918 the aggregate was 1,124,000 tons, of which British losses amounted' to 688,000 tons, and the others to 436,000 tons. Last quarter’s total was tho lowest recorded. The highest aggregate was in tho second quarter of last year, when tho British losses were 1,362,000 tons and the others 875,000 tons. The highest mouth’s loss was in April, 1917, when the British lost 555,000 tons and the others 339,000 tons. Tho Ministry’ of Shipping announces that the tonnage of steamships exceeding 500 gross tons to and from the United Kingdom, but excluding coastwise and cross-Channel traffic, was in March 7,296,000 tons, which is the highest since October, 1917, when 6,900,000 tens entered and cleared.