The Detroit times., 1917-02-19
STARVATION
OF BRITAIN
IMPROBABLE
HENRY Views
Neutrals Would Go To
Her Aid, Says
Financier
TONNAGE GROWS
TO OFFSET LOSSES
U-BOat Campaign Is
Doomed To Failure,
Is the Outlook

Henry Clews' weekly financial re-
view says;
The war In Europe shows no
GiSns OF absting In intensity. albeit
the desire for and belief In early
peace Is growing among all the bel
hgerents. Bitterness grows each
day and all indications poiut 20 a
resumption OF hostilities with the
coming of spring upon a moro de-
structiye scale than ever. Evident
~ the worst is close at hand, and
TO the innumerable horrors already
endured that OF starvation is now
tn b@ added: starvation. not ~ the
tslligerents only. bat OF the millions
of unfortunate non-combatants In
Belgium. Poland. Armenia. Siberia.
otc Human endurance must be
| approaching the end
AS fer the attempt TO starve Eng-
land Si'h submarines that will prove
| futile A. most the results will not
|
Venicnce or deprivation OF some
articles Of susteuance. Great Britain
had a total ocean tonnage OF nearly
| 10000 600 before the war. or almost
one half ., the worlds total The
Joe Sos from the beginning OF tho war
10 The new submarine campaign
were about t.0o0. 900 tons. ~ which
$500 .0c0 tons we're British and the
remainder neutral These losses,
however have been very largely
compensated for by new construc-
ton. 30 that. according to an esti-
mate 81 the United States shipping
commissioner. The net loss OF worlds
tonnage In January vat about ZOO.
600 tons
"of late the output OF new ton.
naEe has oeen Immensely increased
in all parts OF the world by high
frelghts and prospects uf their con
tinuance for a long period ahead.
From this latter fact IL follows that
submarines viii have TO increase
their present destructiveness veiy
considerably before they can posi-.
nly even approach the starvation OF
England Much distress and incon.
lenience may be accomplished, bu.
Starvation IL practically impossible
because for a variety OF reasons the
threat cannot be- carried out. First.
~ would require feet OF sCbraa.
rines many times larger than the
present one TO accomplish such
purpose second. he British navy
'eems tolcrably able TO cope With
NE difficulty. and has evidently
found various successful means OF
defense. such as destroyers, meta.
acceptance. trafic lanes. convoys.
stc.
Tho submarine now appears 20 be
practically powcrless against wa
vessels. aud its effectiveness against
merchantmen when armed IL much
reduced No facts are given out ~
the British admiralty as 20 the NOR.
tally among submarines. but there
H. reason TO believe n II very high
since tho beginning a. the pres
.nt month 40 British ships. includ-
ing irawlcrs and fishing smacks.
have been destroyed This is an
average Of over four per day II will
require good many more than this
|io starve ENGLAND. and IL that ron
tinrency we're in sight this country
and other neutrals would undertake
to ship food and other necessarics
90 Britain for profit. If not for hui
name or other considerations. In
this country alone there are now 400
steel merchant ships under construc-
ton with tonnage Of 100. 900 tons.
Japan and Norway are also turning
out a large new tonnage What
Great Britain IS doing in this dirsc-
ton is not officially known, altho
he Is much the largest ship BUILDER
H. the world. and has lately turned
her attention 10 building merchant
tonnage with increased vigor The
hve Of defeating England by sub
NJ mines Is doomed TO serious dlsap-
pointment
The security markets have set
tied down 10 state OF inactivity
- nding developments growing out
q the War Liquidation has now
been going on for two months and
prices are considerably lower than
when speculation was at it's height.
Our relations with Germany are Of
course the pivotal Issue. and the
conviction grows daily that II Is only
a question ~ tir1e when some ovart
net on the part OF Germany may
Drive thla country into Ear.
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