New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-22

IN December. and 80 per cent greatet
than fer similar period IN January.
That the strength Of the navy IS
10 DC increased to 100000 men.
That 10 per cent OF armed sh'ps
escaped destruction while only "A per
cent Of unarmed ships escaped.
Fisher Heads New Board
ii, Edward also announced mat
lord Fisher. former First sea LORD had
been returned 10 the Admiralty stan
ms president of a Board Of Inventions
This board. he said. was part o. an
snti-submarine department when had
been established with the best ana
most experienced personnel
Commenting upon the figures show
ny the losses of shipping from sub
marine attacks in the first eighteen
laws Of February. Sir Edward said;
"Our losses are bad enough, but
they are not equal 20 the blatant, eX-
travagant brsvado of the German sc-
count of them"
Sir Edward said he believed that
the problem Of the submarine menace
could be solved only # the nation
acted i'm conjunction with the navy.
That il would be solved, however. he
WAS certain.
Courage Will Win War
In the face Of all these sinkings ana
the accompanying sacrifices and trlals
he said that he had not heard OF a
single sailor who had refused TO sail.
That was what was going TO win the
war. he declared. Neutrals might be
nervous and frightened. but they would
follow the British example, and he be
lieved that they would shortly resume
their sRilings.
Sir Edward said that he proposed in
the future, daily. If possible, to pub
lish together the number Of losses by
mines and torpedoes and the number
Of merchant ships entering and leaving
the ports of the United Kingdom. He
would also publish list Of vessels
which had been attacked by and es-
capped from submarines.
lie added that there was not par
ticlc Of truth in the allegation that the
government had forbidden the publica-
ton OF the losses Of shipping, and
that. so far as he was concerned. ne
would not be party 70 concealment
Of these losses.
Increase Armed Ships
In opening his address Sir Edward
said that the submarine menace re-
Gently had grown until its extent mad
become grave and serious. The menace
had not vet been solved. but measures
which had been adopted, he SAID. would
mitigate il BY degrees. The number OF
armed merchant ships had been IN
creased AS per cent in the last two
months.
The House. said Sir Edward would
eXDect him TO deal mainly with the
growth Of the submarine menace, ana
he would do so by surveying the work
of the navy. He emphasized the i'm
portsnce Of what the Grand Fleet was
doing, pointing out that IT was assist
ing the expedition in Mesopotamia,
Salonics and Egypt, and had to keep
the seas clear.
Upon the whole. he continued. the
country had suffered fewer privations
than any of the belligerents. The total
number Of the personnel carried across
the seas up TO the end of last October
was 100000, he added.
Up to the end OF October also. added
Sir Edward. the naval forces had moved
more than 100000 tons of explosives
and other material. 100000 sick and
wounded, more than 100000 horses
and mules, and more than 4.000,00 gall
ions Of petrol They had examined on
the high seas or in harbOrs 1870
ships. In January last alone in British
ports they had examined l,764 ships,
and the total for February would not
be less than that for January.
Comparison Of Losses
In the first eighteen days of Feb
ruary, he announced, SO Allied and neu-
trail steamers of more than ! 600 tons
had been lost, their total tonnage
aggregating 26s,00O. This was COM
pared with losses of 60 vessels of 20l,-
600 tons in the first eighteen days Of
December and of SO vessels of $4,000
tons the first eighteen days of Janu-
airy.
Including smaller vessels, said Sir
Edward, the total number of ships lost,
both Allied and neutral, during the
first eighteen days of December. the
first eighteen days of January and the
first eighteen days of February we're;
SHIPS TONNAGE