New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1917-11-10
BRITISH VESSELS
WORK FOR ALLIES
Merchant Marine Is First Line of
Naval Defense in This
War.
ARE FEEDING MANY LANDS
English Freiqhters Fight U-8oats
While Neutral Craft PLY to Safe
Zones-Half Tonnage Working
for France Sent by England.

London.-An analysis of the pres
ent status of Great Britains merchant
fleet as affected by the war will indi-
cate more clearly than any statement
heretofore issued the extent to which
the merchant marine has been alb
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 resources 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 commerce would be al
most at standstill.
A famous authority on shipping and
naval affairs recently pointed out that
the merchant marine has become the
first line of naval defense In this war;
and it Is literally true. A majority Of
merchant ships are now armed. and
therefore take the same chances as
warships. They are attacked by the
enemy on sight and they fight the ems
envy on sight. p
Keep Out Of Danger.
Neutral vessels have sought the less
dangerous zones of operation and ply
their trade in waters far from the Ger
man submarine bases, where they may
reasonably be certain to remain un-
mOlested. To the British merchant fleet
Is left the uncomfortable duty Of serv.
ing in those waters where submarines
are thickest, where mines are strewn,
where the Germans show the least con-
Germ for humanity, where every hour
and every mile represents the serious
chance of death and destruction.
The French ministry of mercantile
marine has issued a statement which
sets forth the condition of the French
merchant feet. It is stated that the
French merchant marine amounts to
81, 1877 900 tons, Of which 100000 tons
has been loaned to France by Great
Britain. Thus 1t appears that half the
tonnage working for France is furnish-
ed by Great Britain. This is particu,
larry interesting In view of the well,
known fact that French shipping has
been dealt with rather tenderly by the
German submarines.
The greatest Of French shipping cor. !
porations has been particularly fortu.
nate in this regard, and a curious ex,
PLANTATION of the fact Is current in both
France and England. It is that this
represents large invest,
ment by one Of the most powerful and
influential religious orders Of the Ro. /
man Catholic, and that the Germana
have made 1t policy not unnecessarily
to give offense In this quarter. Second,
~, 1t is matter Of frequent note that
certain French ships are always per-
mitted to escape, while other vessels
In the same waters are invariably at.
tackled.
Almost Cut OF. Il
France Is now almost as completely
tut OF from the privilege of commerce
with her neighbors by land as Is Great
To put It in the reverse, she
8 almost as dependable on shipping
Is England. Before the war, accord
ng to the French ministry Of marine,
france imported by land 100000
IONS annually, while last year her
IMPORTS by land amounted to only l.
100000. Inasmuch as the total Of
IMPORTS in 1915 was A, OO0. 900 tons, the
proportion received by land Is very
mall indeed. Inasmuch as France 10
t present much less capable Of liv.
ng within itself than Is England, by
eason of the necessity particularly to /
IMPORT metals and coal, 1t may fairly
e said that France Is even more de-
endent upon maintaining her touch ,
nth the sea than Is England.
The French government is co-operat-
1g with Englsnd in every possible g
'ay to Increase the production Of new q
but frances contribution :
lust necessarily be small compared 9
, those Of England and the United
tates. ,
The French minister of marine said
lat Great Britain would shortly have (
, recall part Of the 700 vessels
hich she had lent to France. British .
eeds are increasing rapidly. and no q
sssel will be recalled from the serv-
e Of an ally unless 1t is agreed be- !
veen the two countries that s.
ore necessary to England than to the r
ly. r
The British nation before the war q
as frnnorfinc ~ O00 O00 fans ~ gooSv