5 JANUARY 1918, Page 9

Our losses of merchantmen by enemy mine or torpedo last

week were heavier than they have been for some time past. We lost sixteen large vessels over 1,600 tons and three small vessels, as against twelve large vessels and one small vessel in the previous week. Five ships escaped from their enemies. We lost in December fourteen large ships a week on the average, whereas in November we lost ton, in October thirteen, and in September ten weekly. The figures show that the submarine menace, though mastered to some extent, is still extremely serious, and that the facile optimism which makes light of the danger is unwarranted and mischievous. The need for more new ships and for more economy in the use of food was never so great as it is now.