The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1918-03-21

Washington. , arch 2l.-Secret
figures OF the b tish admiralty on
submarine losses and world ship
building were made public here to-
day ty the British embassy. They
show that from both enemy action
and marine risk on Jan. |, 1918, al.
lied and neutral shipping had lost
since the war began ll,827,572 gross
tons, while shipyards outside of the
central powers we're turning out
6,606275 tons.
These figures ale now made pub
tic, the admiralty memorandum
says because they will not stimulate
the enemy and because they will inn
press upon the people the necessity
Of unitd action in making good
losses by submarines. With them
goes an appeal to British shipbuild-
ers 10 speed up their efforts by
bringing more men and women on
the task, and warning that the re-
cent falling off in British production
must not continue.
Net Loss Is Much Less.
In spite of the tremendous total
Of lisses, they do not approach the
claims of the Germans, and with
2,5S. 900 tons OF enemy ships added
TO the output of the war period, the
net ,oss to world shipping exclusive
of that of Germany and her allies, is
only 2,663,297,
The maximum OF losses was
reacaed in the second quarter of
1917 after the unrestricted subma-
rine warfare whirh drew the United
States into the struggle, was
launched. That quarter 2236,934
gross tons Of ships went down.
Since then, the total has been re-
duced until in the fourth quarter OF
1917 1t was l,272,843. In the mean
time the shipbuilding output
steadlly curved upward. In the last
quarter OF 1917 1t was 932,025 tons
and at that time the enormously in.
creased facilities OF the Unitet
States had not oosun 10 set iutc
action.
Feels Encouraged.
Although foreW arning against I'm.
due optimism, the admiralty state.
ment says:
THE results Of }he past year have
shown the ability OF our seamen tC
get upon terms with the submarin,
menace and gradually to gain tn,
upper hand
In announcing in the house o
commons yesterday that hereafte
figures on losses and building woulC
be made public 1T regular intervals
Sir Eric Geddes, first lord OF thu
ldmiralty indicated that it still
would be unwise to publish the to
tails for the wa'. However, thes
totals now are given to the public
simultaneously in this country an,
in Great Britain.
, Following is the admiralty mem
orandum:
Memorandum issued by the Brit
ish admiralty showing in gross ton
the losses to the world shipping b
enemy actions, the mercantile ship
building output and the enemy YES
sells captured and brought int
service.
Hitherto the board of admiralt
have been aversc from any publica
ton other than that contained in tn
weekly return OF losses, although
has frequently been pressed upo
them that the whole tonnage fact
should be made public. So long a
such publication would encourag
- the enemy and would stimulate HI
energies in dangerous direction
they have not been able to comet
in the proposal.
d The figures today will not stin
ulate the enemy and the admiralt
recognize that the policy OF sllenC
necessary, as they believe it to hay
; been from a naval point of view, h;
5 had this serious defect, that it fai
sufficiently to impress upon the pei
pie of this country the vital nece
. sity of individual and united e
: fort on their part to make good Il
, losses caused by enemy submarines
Naval Warfare.
an the spring of 1917 the II
menace of the submarine campaiE
was first disclosed. Since that da