The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-08-10
100000 TONS
OF BRITISH SHIPS
LOST IN 6 MONTHS
With America In War, Trans
portation Problem Is
Bigger Than Ever.

London, Aug. 1O.-During the last
"a weeks 473 British ships Of over 1000
tons and 1859 under that tonnage have
| been sunk by mines or torpedoes. AL
lowing 5000 as the average tonnage
for the first class and 1000 for the
second, these 642 vessels represent a
total tonnage of approximately 3,c00,-
| 600, or an average Of 500, 600 to--s loss
monthly.
If the present rate of sinking con-
tinues British shipping in year will
| be decreased by 5000, 900 tons.
| with the entrance of America into
the war the need of transatlantic
shipping has increased immensely.
The greater the number of troops sent
to this side the greater the amount of
ton mage required.
| Says the Westminster Gazette:
Americas entry into the war must
make fresh demands upon the ship
ping of the world, and the plain fact
| is that build as we may, there is not,
and cannot be for a long time yet,
sufficient ships to do all the business
| of the Allies. The only remedy for the
condition is continuous self-denial of
| the civilian population
| Some months back, during a debate
| in Parliament, it was stated author
itatively that three tons of shipping
are required for every British soldier
leaving these shores. Suppose this
were the basis for a million Americans
landed in Europe. It would mean
100000 tons of shipping deducted
from the total tonnage Of January,
| 1917. Add this. to the losses Of the last
six months and the seriousness of the
| shipping problem becomes strikingly
apparent.
But 1t does not end there. France
Italy, Sweden, Norway and Holland
have all suffered heavily in the last
| six months. Against these losses must
be put the new tonnage seized and
built by the Allies, but, at the best, it
| cannot exceed 100000, leaving a
heavy deficit.
| AS the war is prolonged the de-
mands for tonnage multiply rather
than decrease. It grows clearer every
day that America must provide all
the tonnage shee requires for the
movement Of troops. and must build
/ frantical1y to supply the needs of her
i European Allies.
The only newspapers demanding
futures on the tonnage loss this week
are those of the Northcliffe press
Says The Times naval correspondent:
| 1.-The popular appeal for the figures
of tonnage destroyed shows no falling
off, in spite Of the official refusal te
supply such information. 1t may
however, be pointed out that merely
to have the tonnage figures would o
| provide sufficient facts on which t.
base conclusions which would be the
| most useful for the enlightenment OF
the British public. What is really
/ wanted is a statement OF the number
of British ships within the danger
| zone during the week, the number Of
attempts on these ships by subma.
rines and the number of escapes
| The Morning Post which reprints
Churchill's article in The Tribune OF
July %, comments editorially:
I'VE publish this morning an arti-
|cle contributed to the New York Tri-
lbune by winston Churchill which goes
far to confirm our apprehension ex-
pressed in these columns yesterday
1 that there is political pressure being
brought to bear upon the Board OF
4 Admiralty in respect to the conduct
of the war at sea by the naval lords
In the Tribune may be studied al
large the policy developed by Chur-
chill which we described yesterday.
/ I'VE do not know If Churchi1l'e
views will be taken seriously by the
American public by reason Of the ad-
lvertisement which announces them tc
proceed from the British Minister Of
Munitions, but we should imagine
that the common sense of the Ameri.
leans would reveal the inherent alb
lsurdity Of the frantic appeal presun.
ably addressed to the British Admi
rally to let the navy get at Germany
launched without tbs SMALLEST indica
tions of the methods to be employed
in the process. 1t is darkly limited
however, that large numbers of al
classes will be lost, and, says, Chur
Chill, it is very much better and NOR,
satisfactory that the ships should b,
lost than be practically unused tn,
concrete proposal then. which we ar
given to understand still holds tn,
Held is that French, American, Jap
anese and British ships Of war shouk
. be thrown away
!. The manner Is not specified, nor
the enterprise described. This is TIN
same Churchill who, a few month
!. ago, announced that without battl
) We have all that the most victorious
of battles could give up The articl
, in the Tribune is of no moment ex
cept in so far as it indicates a dan
Igerous political intrigue