The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1918-03-21
NET SHIP Loss
TO ALLIES ONLY
TWO MILLION TONS
leenlInusa from Plss D

1
admiralty showing in gross tons the
lone, to the world shipping by enemy
action. the msfchanlle shipping output
and the enemy vessels captured and
brought into service
Hitherto tho board Of admiralty has
been aycr,e 20 every publication other
Than that contained In the weekly 70.
turn oi losses although Il has ire
quently been pressed upon them that
the whole tonnage facts should be made
public So long as such publication
would encourage the enemy and would
stimulate his energies in a dangerous
direction. they have not been able to
concur in the proposal,
No More Stimulation.
"Thc figures today will not stimulate
the enemy and the admiralty recognizes
that the policy oi silence, necessary az i
believes II 10 have been from a naval
point OF view has had this serious de-
lect that II tails sufficiently 10 impress
upon the people OF this country the
| vital necessity 0i individual and united
effort on H., part 10 make good the
losses caused by enemy submarines.
In me spring OF 1917, the full men
ace OF the submarine campaign was
| first disclosed Since that date We
| have steadily increased Our knowledge
and our material resources for this
novel warfare.
Three Statements Made.
Three statements are attached
hosing for the United Kingdom and
'1r the world
"l-Lo,ses by enemy action and
marine risk
"l-NercanllIe shipbuilding out
put
"j-Enemy vessel, captured and
brought into service
The situation should be viewed from
the standpoint Of the worlds tonnage
as in these problems, the mercantile
navies Of the whole world, excluding
the enemy. may be regarded as one, II
will be noticed that the diagrams re-
cord facts and that nothing has been
included in the nature OF an estimate
II would not be correct TO assume that
the losses hy submarine will continue
io decrease ~ that the production ol
merchant vessels will continue at The
same rate as m the past, as shown IN
the last lew quarters, although rapid
and continuous increase in the output
Of merchant tonnage will inevitably
follow the united efforts Of all engaged
in merchant shipbuilding in this coun-
| try
Gradually Conquer U-Boats
"On the subject Of losses the ad-
miralty disclams any desire to proph-
esy about 50 uncertain a thing as war
in its submarine phase The results ol
the past year have shown the ability OF
our seamen to get upon terms with the
submarine menace and gradually to
gain the upper hand. This result has
been achieved in spite OF an imperfect
knowledge OF a new and barbarouS
method OF warfare and OF scarcity OF
suitable material Our material re-
sources for this sort OF warfare are al
ready improved and are being rapidly
sagmented whilst science is placing al
our disposal means Of oiienss and de
iense Of which we have been In need
Subject 10 this technical advice and to
warning that undue optimism is
fatal, the admiralty considers that the
facts with regard to tonnage losses speak
Tor themselves.
Much Depends on Workers.
with regard to the other factor, the
production OF merchant tonnage, any
estimate Tor the future must depend
wholly on the determination OF the EN-
ployers and men in the shipyards and
marine engineering establishments The
production, however OF merchant ships
in the United Kingdom during Jan
uary, 1918, even making the most gen.
erous allowance for weather conditions
fell 50 far below that OF each month il
the preceding quarter that II improve
ment is not speedily made, the pom
where production balances losses vii
be postponed to a dangerous extent anC
even when that point is reached W,
shall still have to make good the lossc,
OF the past during the critical perioC
that conironts us. We must rely in tn
main on our own shlpysrds and on our
selves.
100000 Tons Yearly Sought,
"Our partners in the war are MAXIM
\ every effort to increase the production
= ~ shins hut a rDusidgr ahIe time nnits