Evening star., 1918-07-31
.GEDDES REVIEWS
SHIPPING PROGRAM
Tells Commons Of British
Handling Of Problem,
rent From America.

LONDON, July 3o.-Sir Eric Geddes.
first lord Of the British admiralty. gave
the house Of commons today review Of
the naval situation and particularly de-
Tended the policy Of starting national
yards in discussing the shipbuildtng
program in connection with the navy
estimates.
The first lord compared the situation
today regarding tonnage with that Of
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
was the British deficit. Every yard that
could take naval work had peen PUT on
naval building.
Tonnage Gain Over sinkings.
Gradually during the last year. Sir
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
neutral world was as well on on June
80 as on January I, 1918. This result,
he declared. had been obtained py re-
duced sinkings and increased buildings
'The total increase In labor Est year
in shipbuilding yards and marine engi-
neering works was 35.000." Sir Eric
said. .aThe original demand OF year
ago was for 10000 additional. part OF
them skilled. Owing to events on the
western front and the great demands
the army. 1t was impossible to obtain
the proper quota of skilled men by their
withdrawal from the army.
This situation had been feared. al
though the shipbuilding advisory COM
mittee had just adopted q standard
lvay. with the proportion Of ono skilled
to four or six unskilled men In its
construction.
The government had decided to 60
ahead at once with q scheme Tor
building q simple ship which could
skilled labor. That ship was designed
and originated in the admiralty.
Same Problem Here.
.Tt is interesting" added the first
lord, "that the very same problem
confronted America, and America met
1t in practically the same way-the
same class of yard and the same type
of construction, and with excellent
results"
Merchant ship repairs, said Sir Eric.
are today engaging nearly two-thirds
as many workmen as are engaged on
new construction of merchantmen.
But" hescontinued. "thes essubmartnes
have found it too dangerous to work
inshore and are going far out The
number of ships damaged. as well as
sunk, is decreasing and the transfer
ence of men from repairs to new con-
struction is possible. The number of
men employed on new construction OF
war ships and auxiliaries Is roughly
10000. and on merchantmen 10000.
Britain Shouldered Burden.
sBritain has borne the preponderat-
ing burden to a preponderating ex-
tent Of lighting the submarines. The
new output of anti-submarine ships.
mines and implements. has been pre-
ponderatingly ours, and the RESPONSE
bility for combating the menace has
been ours. Even today the increased
assistance brought about by the new
construction of the allies is small. In
deed. but times are changing.
Americas program Is now begin
ming to come along, and have had
the pleasure of considering it with
Mr.. Roosevelt. Ny conferences with
him have confirmed what have re-
lied upon. namely. that when once, the
flow OF destroyers and anti-submarine
craft starts from the United States 1t
will become a formidable torrent"