The sun., 1918-07-31
GEDDES EXPLAINS
DEFEAT OF U-BOATS
Reduced Sinkings Arrived at
by Greater Production of
Submarine Chasers.
ALLIES GAIN STEADILY
Net Increase of 100000 Tons
a Month Is Reported by
First Lord.

LONDON, July 30.--Sir Eric C;eddes
First Lord Of the British Admiralty gave
TIE House of Commons to-day a review
of the naval situation, and particularly
defended the. policy of starting national
shipbuilding yards in discussing the navy
estimates.
The First Lord compared the situation
to-day regarding tonnage with that Of a
year ago. Then the net loss in tonnage.
he said, was $4,000 gross tons monthly.
Submarines then were not being de.
stroyed as fast as the Germans were
building them. while the merchant ship.
yards were short OF men and material
Four hundred thousand tons net loss
monthly was the British deficit Every
yard that could take naval work had
been put on naval building
Changing of Position.
Gradually during the last year, ST.
Eric continued. the position had changed
in many directions. Instead of losing
tonnage the worlds net result In the last
quarter had been a gain roughly OF 100.
900 tons a month. The allied and neutral
world was as we'll off on June 80 as m
January /. 1918. This result. he de-
clared, had been obtained by reduced
sinkings and increased buildings.
The reduced sinkings had been arrived
at, said the First Lord of the Admiralty
by a greater productive effort devoted to
wsrships and small craft OF an anti
submarine character. None of the COM
Wandered or acquired tonnage was in
cluded in this result.
THE problem OF a year ago was COT.
sidered by many almost inconceivaha
and insoluble." Sir Eric continued
Mercantile carrying power was being
sunk at rate which soon would have
meant an inability to continue the wa
and there was no tried recognized means
of combating the campaign. 1t was
necessary to provide a building pro-
gramme Of anti-submarine craft. mines
other appliances and merchant ships or a
greatly increased scale.
THE total increase in labor last year
In shipbuilding yards and marine enrl-
neering works was $4,000. The original
demand of year ago was for 10000 ad
ditlonal, part of them skilled Owing 70
events on the western front and the
great demands for technical men for the
air force and the army II was impossible
to obtain the proper quota Of skilled men
by their withdrawal from the army.
Unskilled men were offered freely, but
they could not be absorbed because Of
the lack Of skilled men,"
Simple Ship scheme.
The Government had decided 20 90
ahead AT once with scheme for build
ing a simple ship which could be con-
structed with minimum of skilled Ia
~ ~ .t., rod
and originated in the Admiralty.
1T is interesting" added the Frs
Lord. that the very same problem con.
fronted America. and America met II IN
practically the same way, the same class
of yard and the same type of construc.
ton. and with excellent results"
Merchant ship repairs, said Sir Eric
are to-day engaging nearly two-th.rds
as many workmen as are engaged on
new construction OF merchantmen
But the submarines have found Il
too dangerous to work inshore and are
going far out" he continued The
number of ships damaged as well as
sunk is decreasing and the transfereNer
Of men from repairs to new CoEstr!,-
ton is possible. The number ~ men
employed on new construction az var
ships and auNiliaries is roughly 10 oO0.
and on merchantmen 100000
Britain has borne the preponderatlNE
burden to a preponderating extent ~
fighting the submarines. Tho new oV'-
put of anti-submarine ships. mines ard
implements has been preponderlttr-,Y
ours and the responsibility for combat.
ing the menace has been OURS Even
to-day the increased assistance BROUGHT
about by the new construction =: the
Allies is small indeed, hut times arc
changing
"America's progra nme is nov begin
ming to come along. And have Hei
the pleasure Of considering II win ~
Roosevelt, Ny conferences vita I'm.
have confirmed what | have relied upo..
namely. that when once the flow IF o..
stroyers and anti-submarne craft orca
starts from the United States y Will
become a formidable torrent