The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1915-02-24

merchant shippers act in the spirit OF
the captain Of the Laertes, and OBJ
serve certain precautions, losses will
be confined within manageable limits,
even at the outset, when the enemy
naturally will make his maximum ef-
forts. Our reply will perhaps be not
ineffective.
Germany can not be allowed to
adopt a system Of open piracy and
murder. There is good reason for be-
lieving that the economic pressure Of
the navy is beginning to be felt in
Germany"
During the last three months, he
said, there had been $500 saillngs
and 4,465 arrivals at ports Of the
United Kingdom. Only nineteen OF
these vessels had been sunk by Ger
many, and of those only four were de-
stroyed by above-the-water craft. The
navy had chartered one-ffth Of the
British mercantile marine for the
purpose Of supplying food, fuel and
ammunition to the feet and the
troops in the field.
Speaking Of the complaints regard
ing the admiralty's retention Of mer-
chant tonnage, Mr.. Churchill said en-
ployment OF coiliers and transports
was necessary. There was a time
when Canadian, Australian and In
dian contingents were crossing the
ocean, when the powerful German
squadron in the Pacific had to be
watched for at six or seven different
IL o1cn . rnw6r1N1
hostile 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
hae to utilize old battleships to
strengthen the cruiser squadron and
accept the risks. The victory off the
Falkland islands, however, swept
away all these difficulties.
Mr.. Churchill said ne feared he
could hold out no hope Of any imme-
date reduction in the merchant ton
mage required by the admiralty.
The new 15-inch gun Of the navy,
he said, was equal in quality to the
13.5-inch gun and vastly more power
ful and destructive.
Mr.. Churchill placed the navy's
losses during the war at $500 Off
GERS and men, most Of whom were
killed by submarines. The Germans,
he said, had lost a like number, chief
ly by gun fire. The British had taken
prisoners SO German naval officers
and 954 men. There were no Brit
ish naval prisoners Of war.
Referring to the suggestion which
has been made that court-martiai
should be held whenever ship was
lost, Mr. Churchill declined to adopt
such a course. He said the theories
Of naval warfare had been changed
| completely, and he felt the suggested
| courts-martial might cause command
| ers to play for safety and avoid the
responsibility of positive actions. In
view of existing conditions he thought
| the British losses had been compara-
! lively few.
A. Bonar Law, opposition leader,
who followed Mr.. Churchill, spoke OF
| the inevitable irritation" to the neu-
trail powers in connection with their
shipping. He thought the strictest
regard should be paid to the interests
and susceptibilities Of neutrals and
he said their rights must be respect
Mr.. Law thought 1t probable the
pressure Of British sea power, ulti-
mateIy would compel the German en-
peror to risk his navy in a sea fight
| Admiral Lord Charles Beresford
contended the best way to end the
war would be for all the allies to send
a Joint note to Germany declaring
that they had decided to stop all sup,
plies that could be Of benefit to her
"I don't think there would be any
trouble" Lord Charles added, witt
that great country of the United
States OF with the other neutral pow
ers.'