Evening star., 1940-12-04

oollh 40 SlllDo 'AoSSNhe'e'
with a tonnage of 148,000, and
probably got two more, making a
total of over 100000 tons. Such a
sensational report of wholesale
slaughter of good ships sounds like
the end of all things.
However, no longer ago than
November 26, British Minister Of
Shipping Cross stated that the Ger
mans were averaging $4,000 tons
a week Yesterday London an
nounced that for the four weeks
ending November "a the axis had
done away with 323,157 tons-a
considerable increase over the
average.
If we use this. larger figure Of
1923, ,l57 as basis for calculation,
it would take Herr Hitler some six
years to put the present British
and allied merchant marine out Of
business.
Cargoes of Deep Concern.
Actually, of course, this has little
value as a long range calculation.
I cite the estimate, not to detract
from the gravity of the Nazi assault,
but with the idea of helping us
keep our perspective.
But, while Britain can lose lot
more shipping and still keep herself
afioat, the losses of the cargoes
must be matter of deep concern
for the government. The British
Isles are terrible vulnerable. in that
they are dependent on sea-borne
imports for the bulk of their food
stuffs and raw materials.
Those cargoes which are going to
the bottom in such large numbers
represent not only food, but the
Wherewithal for the manufacture
Of the all-important Warplanes and
other necessities. Britains future
in the conflict depends in large
degree on her industrial production.
She can stand the loss of more ships,
but she certainly can't afford to lose
their freight.
Brltain'S answer to this destruction
Of her shipping must be threefold.
She must replace, so far as possible,
the ships sunk She must increase
her naval policing of submarine
infested waters. She must provide
more adequate naval protection for
conveys, a difficult task because of
her calls in the Mediterranean and
elsewhere.
U-Boats Dumped Into Sea.
Germany has been building sub
marines feverishly ever since the
war began. She is reported to have
turned out large numbers of small
craft by mass production. These
fresh instruments Of destruction
have now been dumped into the sea
for the onslaught against Allied
shipping.
Britain's shipyards aren't able to
build merchant vessels fast enough
to meet the losses. She therefore is
turning to America, and Minister
Cross said yesterday that orders for
90 new ships had been placed here
American steamers already available
also will be purchased. London also
oPPCoAo - W NC 4lOll4llS 4OG
more of our outmoded destroyers.
which would be invaluable in dealing
with the submarines.
Britain's greatest effort to counter
this drain, however, is her new
offensive against MusSolini in an at
tempt to knock Italy out of the war.
Could this be achieved it would re-
lease warships from the Mediter-
ranean to combat the submarine
menace.
This U-boat challenge isn't q new
problem for Britain, for she went
through all that in the World War.
In fact the unrestricted German
campaign of 1917 all but defeated the
allies.
Statistics on Losses.
In April of that year 8S1 900 tons
of British, neutral and allied ship
ping went to the bottom. One out
of every four ships leaving United
Kingdom ports never returned. A
grand total of 11,189 900 tons Of
allied and neutral shipping were
destroyed by submarines.
This campaign was countered
largely by increased protection in
conveys and by augmentation of
the number of destroyers hunting
submarines.
Just to show the resources still
left to Britain, it may be cited that
London estimates she has on hand
about 100000 tons. She started
the war with 19,284,0OO tons in
vessels of over 1000 tonnage. She
acquired some 100000 tons from
allies, and 100000 tons are said to
have been sunk up to November 10.
Thus it is apparent that Britain
actually has more tonnage than