New-York tribune., 1915-02-16
ALLIES THREATEN FULL
BLOCKADE OF GERMANY

allowed German exports in neutral
ships to pass unchallenged. But the
time is near when the enjoyment Of
these immunities by a state which, as a
matter of deliberate policy, has placed
herself outside Of international obliga-
tions must be reconsidered. A fur
ther declaration on the part of the al
lied governments will be made, which
will have the effect of applying for the
first time the full force of naval pres
sure on the enemy.
at must not be supposed that be-
cause the attack is extraordinarily
good a reply cannot be made. Losses
no doubt will be incurred, but believe
no vital injury can be done. II mer-
chant shippers act in the spirit of the
captain of the Laertes, and observe GER
tain precautions, losses will be con-
fined within manageable limits, even at
the outset, when the enemy naturally
will make his maximum efforts. Our
reply will perhaps be not Ineffective"
Germany cannot be allowed to adopt
a system of open piracy and murder"
Mr.. Churchill continued. There is
good reason for believing that the
economic pressure Of the navy is be-
ginning to be felt in Germany"
During the last three months, he
said, there had been $500 ssilings and
4,465 arrivals at the ports Of the
United Kingdom. Only nineteen Of
these vessels had been sunk by Ger
many, and of these only four had been
destroyed by above-the-wster craft
The navy had chartered one-fifth Of the
British mercantile marine for the pur-
pose OF supplying food, fuel and am
munition to the feet and the troops IN
the field.
Utilized Old Battleships.
Speaking Of the complaints regard
ing the Admiralty's retention of mer-
chant tonnage, Mr.. Churchill said that
the employment OF colliers and trans
ports was necessary. There had been
times when Canadian, Australian and
Indian contingents were crossing the
ocean when the powerful German
squadron in the Pacific had to be
watched for at six or seven different
places. There was also a powerful hos
tile navy on the other side Of the
North Sea. At that period when Eng
lands naval resources were strained
to the utmost limit the Admiralty had
to utilize old battleships to strengthen
the cruiser squadron and accept the
risks. The victory off the Falkland ISL
ands, however, swept all these Difficult
ties out of existence. Mr.. Churchill
said he feared that he could hold out
no hope of any immediate reduction IN
the merchant tonnage required by the
Admiralty.
The new l5-inch gun Of the navy,
he said, was equal in quality to the
135-inch gun and vastly more powerful
and destructive.
Mr. Churchill placed the navy's
losses during the war at $500 officers
and men, most of whom were killed by
submarines. The Germans, he said.
had lost like number, chiefly by gun
fire. The British had taken prisoners
SO German naval officers and 954 men.
There were no British naval prisoners
of war.
Referring to the suggestion which
has been made that q court martial
should be held wherever a ship was
lost, Mr.. Churchill declined TO adopt
such q course. He said that the the
cries of naval warfare had been
changed completely. and that he felt
that the suggested court martials might
cause commanders TO play for safety
and avoid the responsibility Of positive
actions. In view Of existing conditions,
he thought that the British losses had
been maryellously few.