13 OCTOBER 1917, Page 1

Thirteen merchant vessel's of more than 1,603 tons, one smaller

vessel, and three fishing-boats were sunk last week by mine or submarine. In the previous week we had lost ten largo and three small vessels. Only two ships are known to have been unsuccess- fully attacked by submarines last week. The 103.404 show 110 marked sign of increasing, but they are still far too large to be cancelled by new construction, and the shipyards, as Sir Auckland Geddes has stated, are in want of men.