24 AUGUST 1918, Page 2

The losses of British merchant shipping in July from all

causes amounted to 176,479 tons. The new ships built in British yards last month were of 141,948 tons. It is profoundly to be regretted that, while the Navy is reducing the number of ships lost, the shipyards cannot yet raise the number of new ships built to the ordinary peace

standard. Something is very wrong somewhere, despite all official excuses. The total lessee of. British, Allied, and neutral shipping in July amounted to 313,011 tons, as compared with 281,494 tons in June. The loss of the ` Juste' alone would account for more than that slight increase.