The Penn's Grove record., 1917-12-28
british VESSELS
WORK FOR ALLIES
Merchant Marine Is First Line Of
Naval Defense in This
War.
ARE FEEDING MANY LANDS
English Freighters Fight U-Boats
While Neutral Craft PLY to Safe
Zones-HaIf Tonnage Working
for France Sent by England.

L0ndon.-An analysis of the pres
emit status of Great Britain's merchant
heet as affected by the war will indi-
cate more clearly than any statement
heretofore issued the extent to which
the merchant marine has been abb
sorbed into national service under the
immediate control Of the government.
There is no more emphatic proof
of the measure In which England has
placed her at the disposal of
the war cause than this analysis of the
merchant fleets disposition. British
ships are working for France, for Italy,
for the unfortunate neutral states that
would be threatened with starvation
If the allies did not help to keep them
alive. Troops, munitions, equipment,
food supplies have been brought from
all quarters of the world in British
ships, not exclusively for British con-
sumption, but for all Of Britain's al
lies and for neutrals. Without the
British merchant marine the worlds
international would be al
most at a standstill.
A famous authority on shipping and
naval affairs recently pointed out that
the merchant marine has become the
Srst line of naval defense in this war:
it Is literally true. A majority Of
chant ships are now armed, and
efore take the same chances as
ships. They are attacked by the
" on sight and they fight the en-
on sight.
Keep Out OF Danger.
1tral vessels have sought the less
erous zones Of operation and ply
trade In waters far from the Ger
submarine bases. where they may
nably be certain to remain un-
ted. To the British merchant feet
the uncomfortable duty Of serv-
those waters where submarines
ickest, where mines are strewn,
the Germans show the least con
Or humanity, where every hour
cry mile represents the serious
of death and destruction.
French ministry of mercantile
has issued a stateme2et T,Gthbicchb
E Lie pIC1Iu
I'd that the
amounts to
100000 tons
nee by Great
that half the
lnce Is furnish
Fhis Is particu-
ew Of the we'll
lch shipping has
r tenderly by the
rench shipping cor
particularly fortu-
1, and a curious ex-
ct is current in both
and. 1t is that this
ssents a large invest
he most powerful and
% orders Of the Ro-
and that the Germans
policy not unnecessarily
I'm this quarter. Second
ter of frequent note that
h ships are always per-
ape, while other vessels
waters are invariably at
,ost Cut OF.
v almost as completely
privilege Of commerce
ors ~ land as is Great
II IN the reverse. she
spendaDle on shipping
sIore the war. accord
Oh ministry of marine,
1 by land 100000
while last year her
amounted to only l.
UGH as the total of
as 100000 tons, the
red by land isLvery-
lasmuch as France Is
less capable Of liv.
than is England, by
essity particularly to
d coal, 1t may fairly
ce is even more de-
intaining her touch
Is England.
Tnment is co-operat-
N every possible
increae ne prouaation Of new
ge; but Frances contribution
necessarily be small compared
lose Of England and the United
IS.
2 French minister of marine said
Great Britain would shortly have
call a part Of the 700 vessels
she had lent to France. British
are increasing rapidly, and no
will be recalled from the sery-
an ally unless it is agreed be-
the two countries that it is
ecessary to England thar to the