Shipping Losses
The losses of British, Allied and neutral shipping in the month of June totalled 329,296 tons—a figure which does not include vessels damaged but taken into port. The losses are less than in any other months of the last year excepting December and January, and show that headway is being made against the activities of U-boats and long-range bombers. But the counter-measures are not yet as good as they must be. The ships sunk, apart from those damaged, are greatly in excess of British and United States replacement, and are even slightly in excess, according to figures given by the Shipping Correspondent of The Times last month, of the peak produc- tion of the two countries when they are working to full capacity. This is the more serious when we reflect that the effect of an excess of losses over replacements is cumulative. Happily there are reasons for believing that the counter- measures now being taken are becoming, more effective, and that we may expect diminishing insecurity in the Atlantic. The Admiralty announces that it proposes to discontinue the publication of shipping losses at regular intervals because valu- able information is by this means given to the enemy. It is to be hoped none the less that the position will be reviewed from time to time, and approximate if not exact figures given, so that the public may know the best and the worst. An occasional announcement by the Prime Minister, given with his characteristic frankness, would be a satisfactory way of telling the public at home and our friends abroad as much as may safely be divulged.
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