" TON FOR TON. "
[To THE EDITOR OP THE " SPECTATOR.") Sxn,—Excellent Punch is asking for the moon. Germany does not possess two tons for one. According to Lloyd's Register of Shipping for 1918, Germany owns a little over four million tons. Assuming that she has a further half-million tons not recorded in Lloyd's, her oversee trading tonnage would appear to be four and a half million tons, plus that constructed since the outbreak of war. This now tonnage may be equal to, but certainly does not exceed, that commandeered by the British, Italian, and Portuguese Governments. Possibly Lloyd's in the compilation of their statistics have deducted this tonnage from German-owned and credited it to the different Governments which have requisitioned it, but this does not materially affect the point. Germany has with her submarines and mines destroyed nearly three million tons of Allied and neutral vessels, so that if she be deprived of ton for ton, sufficient would be left to her to carry on her own trade after the war. Should the present rate of sinking continue for nine months, the confiscation of ton for ton would moan the loss of her entire mercantile fleet. Perhaps on the lines of your ".peace pressure " a declaration to this effect might give her cause
Previous page
