Merchant Shipping Losses
The shipping losses reported on Wednesday are formidable. The average weekly loss of British shipping for the first year of war was about 30,000 tons. In the week now reported on the figure is 131,857 tons, the highest since the war began. Not too much stress, of course, must be laid on the total for a single week ; in the previous week the figure-29,246—was below the average. But the 130,000 is a sharp reminder of what the potentiality of the submarine menace may be. Germany can now base her submarines on any port from Narvik to Bordeaux, and the possession of the French Atlantic coast is obviously of the greatest value to her. It is also a by no means negligible fact that all the secrets of British naval warfare, both protective and defensive, were freely shared with the French, and have doubtless been passed on to the Germans long since. That may in part explain our rather numerous recent losses of submarines. In the new situation created by the German occupation of the French seaboard what the Navy needs most is a large accession of destroyers and fast patiol-boats. The arrival of the first batch of the American destroyers in a British port last Saturday is there- fore particularly timely. If the United States desires to increase her help to us as a result of the tripartite pact there is no form of assistance—except perhaps aeroplanes—that would be more valuable or welcome than fast vessels designed for anti-submarine warfare. The American Government pos- sesses them ; we need them badly. Fortunately, submarines find their task harder in such weather as may be expected in the winter months. But the decision to suspend the evacuation of children overseas is wise.
Previous page
