The Washington times., 1915-07-05
THE SUBMARINE WARFARE

From the beginning of the Ger
man submarine warfare against
merchant ships on February 1s until
July 3, the reports show the sinking
of 237 merchant vessels.
OF these 1876 were British, 18 flew
the flags of France, Russia, Belgium,
or Italy-a total Of 208 for the allies.
Thirty-three neutral vessels were
sunk. Not one of them was visited
and searched for contraband before
the sinking, although usually the
crews were given chance to escape.
Of these thirty-three neutral ships
sunk by the German submarines two
flew the Stars and Stripes-the Gull
flight and the Nebraska. Norway
has suffered most of all, losing sew
enteen ships, while the Swedes have
lost six, the Dutch two, the Greeks
one, the Danes four, and the Portu-
guese one.
Thus Norway has lost as many as
all the allies except Britain, and
the neutral states have suffered
more than the actual enemies of the
Kaiser, leaving the great maritime
nation out of the reckoning.
1t is noteworthy that no Italian
vessel was sunk until July 1, and
also that no Dutch vessel has suf-
fered since the stern protest Of the
Netherlands in March. Italy has
only entered the war and there is
reason to believe that Germany
fears flanking movement through
Holland.
There has been steady progress as
to numbers. From the beginning on
February 18, until the close of that
month, eight ships were sunk.
March showed record Of thirty
five, April Of forty-two, May of
fifty-six, June of eighty-four, and
the first two days of July witnessed
seven sinkings.
From the first there has been
steady work with only one break.
While several days in each month
have passed without score the only
considerable period of inactivity fol-
lowed on the heels Of the Lusitania
crime. That was done on May 7.
Three ships were sunk on May 8,
and then the underses ships were
idle until May 10, a period of eleven
days in which even the Germans
seem to have had some idea of the
enormity of their crimes against
civilization.
But it was short-lived penitence,
for the fury began again and since
the end of May hardly a day has
passed without one or more sink
ings.
What has been the effect?
England is still being supplied
with food and with anything else
that she cares to import. Freight
rates have advanced, it is true, and
insurance is higher, but the ships
continue to sail.
If 1t was expected that this fright
fulness would have any effect in
causing ship owners to decline to
carry contraband, the effort has re-
suited in disappointment. The ship
owners who formerly refused con-
traband now accept as they know
their vessels will be sunk regardless
of the nature of the cargo, once
they are caught by submarine.
The submarine "war zone" proc.
lamation has had the effect of plac.
ring Germany without the pale OF
civilization, has made her an out
law whose Haunting of law has for.
feited her the laws protection, and
it has done little else.
For the vessels sunk altogether
represent tonnage of $4,000
Great Britain's merchant marine to-
day has a combined tonnage of more
than twenty millions and her allies
can add two millions to that.
Germany has injured herself more
than she has injured anybody else.
VACATION DAYS