THE SHIPPING SITUATION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12064, 20 July 1917, Page 5

THE SHIPPING SITUATION.

VERY DISQUIETING CONDITIONS REVEALED. BRITAIN GRAVELY THREATENED BY SUBMARINE CAMPAIGN. AMERICAN ASSISTANCE URGENTLY NEEDED. Australian and N.Z. Cable Aviation. (Received July 20, 10 a.m.) NEW YORK, Ju l v 19 - - The " New Yoik Times " publishes a. sensational despatch from its special London correspondent, Mr Cliailos Grastv, with displayed cross-page- heading marked, "Passed by the British Censor." . . Mr Grflflty says that American assistance is® urgently needed to cop« -with the submarines atul that discussion m well-informed circles has revealed disquieting conditions, showing how serious the position would be in a few months if the destruction of flipping continued at the present rate.

The correspondent adds that the loss pf Allied shipping through the submarine campaign totals 1,600,000 tons monthly, or more than twice the amount of new construction. Ihe changes at the Admiralty have brought out the fact that at the present rateof construction and destruction, unless British commitments' elsewhere are considerably curtailed, there will not be enough shipping at the end of a fewmonths to feed England and France and maintain the armies. "It in sheer waste of time," declares Mr Grasty, "to keep American destroyers in American waters when the situation here is so critical. .Every craft capable of operating against the submarines should be sent to Europe at the earliest possible moment."