London, Jan. 25.
The British Admiralty, it is understood, here intends to assume the task of construction of merchant ships as well as war-ships. This decision will have a great effect on the acceleration of the construction expansion programme it was emphasized, Apart from British war-ships sunk in past five days, no less than sixteen merchant vessels have fallen prey to the German undersea wi fare, it was revealed today. This figure does not include the' Belgian steamer Meuse, which disappeared on January 18.
Of the ships sunk, only six were vessels sunk were either Scandinavian or Baltic.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.