The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-10-24
sEARCH. IS. WIDESPREAD
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
Admiralty Issues Statement Out
lining Steps Taken to. Round
Up .Enemy's Ships.
EIGHT OR NINE NOW AT LARGE
Upwards of Seventy, Vessels, Work.
ing in. Concert, Securing Atlantic,
Pacific and Indian Oceans in Ef-
fort:tn Destroying Preying Craft.

81 LONDON; October. 90 l(7 p. M.p.-The
admiralty tonight issued n statement
outlining steps that are being taken
to roundup the eight or nine German
cruisers Mt large in the Atlantic. Pa
cifc and Indian Oceans These cruisers
include the Emden. which has sunk or
captured twenty British vessels to date
in the Indian Ocean and the Knrls-
ruhe. which has taken thirteen British
ships in tho Atlantic. The statement
says: SO
Searching for these vessels and
working In concert under various COM
manders-in-chief are upwards of sew
enty British. Australian, Japanese,
French and Russian cruisers. not in
Guiding auxiliary cruisers. Among
these are n number of Britains fastest
cruisers. ~ Itt Is .
The, vast eXpanses of seas and oceans
and thousands of islands offer almost
infinite choice OF movement to the
enemy.s ships. Despite every effort to
cut off their coal supply, 1t has been
maintained In the face OF increasing
difficulty. the discovery and destruction
of these cruisers largely is a matter of
time, patience and good luck. -
NUMBER OF SEARCHING
CRUISERS AUGMENTED
Out commanders so, far have been
occupied in Il serious and import
ant convoy duty, but this worlf has
lessened and the number of searching
cruisers is being augmented Mean
while merchant shipsImustt observe the
admiralty Instructions. which II Is
obviously impossible to specify, and
use all precautions which have been
suggested. On routes where these, in
structions nave been followed they
have so far proved very effective. On
the other hand. where they have been
disreSarded captures have been made
The same lyastness of the sen which has
SO far enabled the German cruisers to
avoid capture will protect trade.
The only alternative to the methods
now adopted would be the marshaling
of merchantmen lin, regular conveys at
stated intervals. So farsit has not been
thought necessary to hamper trade by
enforcing such a system.
"Thetpercentage of loss is much less
than was ireckoned on before the war
OF our 1000 British ships engaged in
the foreign trade onlySthlrty- nine have
been sunk by the enemy, or less than 1
per cent In ALL Besides seven vessels
are now! overdue in Atlantic waters.
THE rate of Insurance for cargoes
which, at&the outbreak OF war. was
fixed ut Euineas per cent, has been
reduced TO 2 guineastp per cent.
VESSELS PROCEEDING
WITHOUT PRECAUTION
Between 5000 and /, 5000 foreign
voyages have been undertaken to ana
miunited- Kingdom ports, less than
five per thousand of wihch have been
interfcred with; and of these losses n
large number have beenflcaused by
merchant vessels taking everything for
granted and proceeding without pro-
icautioDs,gas IL there were no war. y
"On the other hand, German oversee
trade virtually has ceased to exist.
Nearly all their fast ships, which could
;have been. used as auxiliary cruisers.
were penned Into neutral harbors or
took refuge In their own. Among the
comparativelysf few German ships which
have put to- sea. 13s haye been cap
stured. or nearly four. times the number
OF those: lost by the very large British
mercantile marine, Z, Is N 50
I'm these circumstances there lis no
occasion for anxiety, and no excuse for
complaint. ..G,