Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-02-22
U.B0ATS GET ONE
SHIP IN HUNDRED
Record of the Ruthless Subma.
rine Policy" the First Two
Weeks in February.
THREAT NOT MADE GOOD.
ATT ships Arrived In Ports Of United
Kingdom and ASIA Departed in
the Two Weeks Mentioned.

Washington, Feb 20.--The British
embassy issued a statement tonight
announcing that Germany's widely ad-
vertised campaign Of ruthless murder
on the high seas" resulted in the loss
OF less than one ship in every hundred
tween February'1 and IA.
The German wireless press mes
sages," said the statement, since the
German declaration of indiscriminate
submarine warfare against merchant
shipping within a zone around the
United Kingdom and France have been
confined to advertising achievements
Of German submarines.
"Claims to have paralyxed the mer-
camille marine activity Of the allies
and more particularly that Of Britain
a vast increase in the number Of Ger
man submarines so employed.
During the period in question the fol-
lowing are the figures of ships which have
arrived and sailed from ports In the
United Kingdom from February to Feb
ruary IA:
Arrivals: British 4,o6s; allied 227 neu-
trail 4H; total ATT.
''saiiinss British 1928: allied 225; neu-
trail 36i; total 4,514.
Daily average between February I and
February II:
Arrivals: British 20; allied Is: neutral
q; total @l.
"sailinss: British go; allied IS; neutral
26; total 322.
ut should be remembered, however,
that totals Of arrivals and departures
do not include fishing vessels. coastwise
and local coastwise traffic nor craft Of
under 100 tons burden. Omitting these
and comparing totals Of those sunk with
the totals Of the arrivals and departures
1t is interesting to note that the widely
advertised campaign Of ruthless murder
on the high seas on which Germany has
embarked has resulted in a loss Of less
than one ship for every 100 which has ar
rived or left British ports during the
time from February to February a."
THE western Atlantic. the North
sea and the Mediterranean are not out
law waters. Murder may be commit
ted on them. but the attempt to hold
up all sea traffic there has not sue
ceeded. 1t is the task Of tho western
powers and their allies to vindicate
once again the freedom Of the seas
This was the reply Of Lord Robert
Cecil, minister OF blockade, to the
question Of the Associated Press az to
, whether ne could say anything with
regard to the effects Of the new sub.
marine warfare.
Lord Robert Cecil then entered into
details. saying:
$50 far, 1t has had very little effect
on the entry of supplies to this
country. but 1t has interfered to some
extent with trade between neutral ma
lions. MOST Of the vessels trading
from Scandinavia and Holland to and
from America put into the United
Kingdom by agreement in order &c
avoid the trouble and danger of visit
and search on tho high seas. Some
of these vessels are reluctant to con-
tinue this practice. foolishiy. we
think, since the danger Of putting in
to a United Kingdom port il not ser.
| ious, and the practice Is worry conven.
lent for all parties.
1.-THE German piracy decree is not
indeed. a bluff; 1t 10 far too murderous
for that. But its terror lies, not ir
anything like wholesale destruction
the actual number Of ships sunk bear.
ing a very small proportion to those
getting through unscathed. but in it,
! very uncertainty. its erratic strokes