Norwich bulletin., 1917-03-06
THE WAR PRIMER By National Geographic Society

The Ports of Engiand-f-With a deadiine Of 1900 nautical miles to guard, measured from headiand to headland, 20 miles offshore; with 119 ports, large and small to seal up, so of which, at low tide, are open to vessels that can navigate 14 feet of water; with a larger number of bays and other navigable fluctuations to watch than are to be found anywhere else in the world in the same length of straightaway shorelines, Germany's plan to blockade the British Isles seems as near a proposal to accom- plish 'the impossible as anything to which any nation hitherto has com mitted itself" says a statement just prepared by the National Geographic Society and issued from it's head quarters in Washington
 Indeed, undertaking to combat at once the sinuosities of a shoreline lending itself better to defense against blockade than any other of equal length in the world and the great est navy civilizatio has ever seen, could even be hoped for by those put ting the plan into execution.
 England is so deeply indented that no part is more than 75 miles from the sea, while Scotland has the most rambling coastfine of any country in the world.
 Ireland is not as deeply indented as England and, Scotland; but with
 
 way of the blockader difficult.
 'The vast proportions of the Brit ish shipping industry which the Ger man submarine blockade is attempt ing to destroy defes our comprehen- sion. In normal years an average of 214 ships arrive at United Kingdom ports from foreign waters every day in the year. In addition to that, there are 7S0 arrivals from home ports ev- cry day in the year o< ships in the c0aSfwiSa trade
 British merchant ships have a greater aggregate tonnage than those of all the other countries of the world together. The merchant marine of that nation includes nearly 12,o00 ships of al kinds. Of these, about 2,s00 are sailing ships and $500 steam vessels employed in the home trade. There are approximately 1000 ships and foreign ports. These latter have an average capacity of more than 2,5o0 net register tons.
 How rapidly Great Britain has been replacing the losses sustained by her shipping as a result of Germany's submarine attacks is disclosed by the fact that at the end of 1916 there were 465 steam vessels under con- struction in British shipyards, more than half of them being ships of more than 5000 tons burden. The aggre- gate capacity of these ships is 1,7SS,- 900 tons. so that both in tonnage and in number of the new craft are re- placing those sunk by the enemy.
 Few countries in the world are so dependent on the importation of food stuffs as the United Kingdom, and for her not to possess the strongest navy in the world would be to leave her of all s5 cet of a the food her 5,ooo.o 900 people consume is brought in by ships engaged in foreign trade.
 "on the other hand. the splendid coal deposits and the abundant sup plies of iron make British industries largely free from blockade dangers. Producing one fourth of the worlds coal, the United Kingdom has little to fear from a coal shortage. no matter what the character Of a blockade around her.
 'The port of London handles approx ifnately one-third Of all the exports and imports of the United Kingdom. in normal times, and there is scarce 1y a merchant flag that civilization knows that is missing in the Thames in other than war times.
 Liverpool has some of the most modern docks in the world. Thanking the Mersey River for a distance of seven miles. the 60 docks. having 26 miles of quay and covering 42S acres aid known to industry for the rapid handling of the immense quantities of merchandise.
 '.Cartfiff is far down the list in the number of ships arriving, but ranks third in the total tonnage-this be- ing due to the very heavy coal btisi- ness from that port. Cowes has 24,000 ships year: Newcastle. 13,o00; Portsmouth. 15.o0o. and Glasgow and Belfast Il 900 each.
 With the opening of the Clyde. Glasgow has been brought into di rect communication with overse; 1o& la <s<G alty harbor; Chatham, with its vas