ACTUAL SHIPPING LOSSES

The Prime Minister then dealt with our shipping losses from mines and submarines. The German government, who cheerfully promised that the U-boats would bring England to her knees by August, are now heartening them up by claiming to sink between 450,000 and 500,000 tons net of British shipping a month. The word net is important, for it means that this is the figure after allowance has been made for all new shipping. The Prime Minister rebutted this claim with figures of our actual losses: In April (our worst month): 500,000 tons. In July: 320,000 tons.

In August (on basis of the first 15 days): Still less. But those are all gross figures. Our net losses during the six months have been under 250,000 tons, and during the last two months 175,000 tons. That is to say, our net losses over six months have been one-half what the Germans claimed, and only one-third during the last two months. In fact, our losses are diminishing, while our building is increasing, and this even though more German submarines are operating against us. We have to thank for this, in part, the effective measures taken by the Admiralty – naturally, the Prime Minister did not enlarge upon these – and in part the admirable work of Sir Joseph Maclay, who, in spite of considerably diminished tonnage, has yet contrived to carry 150,000 more tons in British ships. Mr Lloyd George gave some surprising figures as to the amount of new shipbuilding for the mercantile marine. In peace time the normal output is anything under two million tons. In 1915: 688,000. In 1916: 538,000. In 1917 (first six months): 484,000. Second six months (estimated): 1.42 million. The last figure includes 330,000 tons purchased from abroad, but if the estimate proves correct we shall put as much new shipping into the water this year as in a normal year of peace. At the same time, our naval construction output will also be up on last year.