The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1918-03-08
THE ADVERTISERS SEMl-WEEKLY
Ships And Submarines

@ IR ERIC GEDDES, first lord Of the admiralty
~ announced his conviction yesterday that the
British and American submarine chasers and des-
troyers are sinking submarines as fast as Germany
can build them, which is satisfactory as far as it
goes. It shows that the pirate seourge has been,
as Sir Eric recently put it, met. 1t does not
alter the fact however, that the submarines are
eating into the vitas Of Allied shipping, and the
continued news from the mainland Of industrial
disputes holding up the American shipbuiIding in
dustry makes the situation somewhat depressing.
We must either do much more than hold our own
with the submarines must provide many
more ships.
This necessity makes important the American
naval cooperation with the British and adds to the
satisfaction that will accompany the announce
ment of the British admiralty head that the Brazil
ian feet will soon be in European waters to add
its strength to that of the Allies. These war
ships are not needed so far as the German feet is
concerned The British have had that securely
bottled up for many months and are only hoping
for another smash at it, but the additions of the
American and Brazilian fleets will enable the Bri-
fish shipyards to turn their attention from the
building of more warshps to the building of the
much needed merchantmen. The British ship out
put ought to be very large from now on and it is
with the merchant ship that Germany is to be de-
feated on land.
Sir Eric's speech in the commons yesterday APP
pears to be mainly a reaffirmation of an address
made three weeks ago, concerning which an Amer
lean commentator wrote;
The sense of Sir Eric Geddes confident
statement the submarine situation is that the u
boat defeated in its effort to end the war; but
defeated instrument for prolonging it by Grip
ping Allied and American effort. The Germans have
failed but stern effort is necessary to turn the baanc
ing scale towards a positive Allied triumph. Sub
marines are being sunk fast built but still
destroying Allied shipping somewhat faster than it
can be, replaced.
Accepting about 100000 tons S the figure OF the
world loss in tonnage this last year. the United States
has supplied about 100000 to meet it. Great Brit
ain probably about twice that amount, and has
been obtained from other nations and from the tax
ing Of Teutonic vessels. The deficit ought to
be made up
In addition, not only must the anticipated losses
of this year be met, but provisions must be made for
the growing need of shipping American troops in
France and the need of Allies for supplies increase.
Sir Eric promises that Great Britain will be
building ships at n rate double that of her previous
record year, which means at the rate of four
million tons annually The Dominions, Japan, Scandi-
navia, and other countries supply some tonnage.
But the brunt of the task will fall upon this country,
which Geddes again states help in way
than in building ships'
We must strain every to do better than the
3000000 tons which the vice president of the Bethe
hem Shipbuilding Corporation sets probable
limit this year if to show the Germans that
the submarine is not only a partial but utter
failure.