New Britain herald., 1918-03-06
ALLIES GAIN ON
 GERMAN U-BOATS
Geddes Also Declares More Sub-
 marine Are Being Sunk

London, March 6.--Sir Eric Geddes, First Lord of the Admiralty, an- nounced in the house of commons yesterday that the shipping losses due to submarines were steadily decreas- ing and that the losses to the worlds s tonnage during February was little more than half the loss during Feb- urary last year. The curve of losses continued downward, he said.
 Submarines were being destroyed in increasing numbers, he declared, and as the methods nployed against them were developed, the mum bers would be enlarged still further. There was a growing reluctance on the part of Ger man crews to put to sea, he asserted The chances that a submarine would return from a voyage in the waters around England were put at one in four or one in five.
 For some months" said he, i've believe that we and the Americans have been sinking submarines as fast as they are built
 The First Lord asserted that the rate of exaggeration in the German reports of tonnage alleged to have been sunk was increasing steadily The exaggeration in the second quarter of the period of unrestricted submarine warfare was twice that of the first quarter. The rates in the third and fourth quarters were three and four times that of the first quar- ters and in January four and one- half times the first quarter.
 As a matter of fact, he said. the loss for the five months ended with February was 10 per cent less than the loss during the corresponding months of the year previous, although during four months of the latter Der iod unrestricted submarine war had not been proclaimed by the enemy.
 Brazil's Warships to Assist. He also said the naval forces Of the be augmented by a force of Brazilian warships.
 II have stated,' the First Lord con- tinued that the curve of losses of merchant shipping continues down ward. This statement is as true to- day as when previously made. It is true there have been bad weeks and bad months. February was, in com parison with recent standards, a bad month. But on the other hand Janu- ary was a good one.
 "As to the curve of the loss in the world S tonnage, only two months of the current quarter have elapsed, but assuming the March loss to be as high as that of February I find that the falling curve continues
 Regarding the rate of ship pro- duction. Sir Eric said that instead of a rise there had been a serious drop 'Why?' he asked The main fact is that owing to labor unrest and strike difficulties the men in the
 
 of the country depended on their ex- ertions. The employers are perhaps not doing all they could The long strain of the war must have an effect upon their nerves as upon everyone else. The serious unrest which ex- l isted in January will have an effect on completions in later months. I , am driven to the conclusion that even l at this late date the situation is not 1 fully realized.
 T believe the individual piece l worker on ships works as hard now as he did last yeQs, when he is ac- 1 tnaliN at work, bat he seems readier ! tn take holidays and we cannot af- ford holidays. If improveme is not l speedily made, the point where pro- l auction balances losses will be post poned to a dangerous extent, 1 Our Allies are making every ef- l fort to increase their production of 1 ships. but despite glowing reports in 1 the American press and great as the effort of that country doubtless is, there is no doubt that a considerable time must e1apse before the desired l output is obtained.
 Night Attacks Successful. 1 The first lord said he was seriously 1 concerned at the increasing number 1 of vessels IoSk at night. It appeared.