The British Admiralty's official statement of all losses of shipping
during the month of April, 1918, shows that 220,709 tons of British and
84,393 tons of allied and neutral vessels, a total of 305,102 tons,
were destroyed by submarines and lost by accident. The total for the
preceding month was 381,631 tons. In April, 1917, the total losses
amounted to 893,877. April, 1918, showed the lowest figures for any
month since the beginning of 1917. Another satisfactory feature of the
situation was that 40,000 tons more shipping was built by Great Britain
and the United States than was lost during the month.
Georges Leygues, the French Minister of Marine, informed the Army and
Navy War Committees of the Senate on May 25 that the means employed
to rid the seas of submarines had become increasingly effective since
January and had given decisive results. Tremendous strides had recently
been made by the Allies in repairing ships damaged by torpedoes or
mines. The Minister added that co-ordination between the allied
nations had become so smooth during the past four months that the
tonnage restored to the sea exceeded 500,000 weekly. Great Britain had
repaired 598,000 tons in one week recently, while France had effected
repairs upon 260,000 tons in one month. The increased building and more
efficient and speedier repair work were constantly bringing better
results in the transport of troops and supplies.
Twelve German submarines were sunk or captured in British waters by the
American and British destroyers during the month of April, which was
a record. This means that twelve U-boats were officially reported and
recognized as sunk and that evidence, either a cap bearing the name
of the submarine, a portion of the craft, or a live or dead German, was
produced when each case was recorded.
[Illustration: A YEAR'S DECLINE IN SHIPPING LOSSES]
In addition to this number, at least two other U-boats were destroyed
during that period. One was sunk on April 8 in the North Sea while
making an attack on a convoy to Holland. Another U-boat, making the
total fourteen, was sunk on Friday, April 26, during the forenoon
while attempting to attack a convoy of transports filled with American
troops on the way to France. In the case of these two U-boats no débris
or other direct evidence was recovered, and the British Admiralty
accordingly withheld official recognition.
Senator Swanson of Virginia, a member of the Senate Naval Committee,
made the statement on June 7 that the allied and American naval forces
had destroyed 60 per cent. of all German submarines constructed.
Senator Lodge of Massachusetts on June 15 said that since Jan. 1, 1918,
the United States Navy had sunk twenty-eight German submarines.
The American troop transport President Lincoln, 18,168 gross tons,
was sunk by a German submarine on May 31 while returning under convoy
from Europe. The ship was struck simultaneously by three torpedoes
and sank in eighteen minutes. Three other vessels were in company with
her at the same time. The crew and passengers abandoned the ship in
excellent order. All passengers, including the sick, were saved. One of
the American destroyers which went to the rescue saved 500 persons, and
another destroyer the remainder of the survivors. The number missing
was twenty-seven, comprising four officers and twenty-three enlisted
men. One of the officers was taken prisoner by the submarine.
The British armed mercantile troop-ship Moldavia, with American troops
on board, was torpedoed and sunk on May 23. Of the American soldiers
fifty-six were reported by the British Admiralty as "unaccounted for."
The British transport Ausonia was torpedoed and sunk on May 26. Forty
of the officers and crew were reported missing. The British transport
Leasowe Castle was torpedoed and sunk by an enemy submarine May 26 in
the Mediterranean. Thirteen military officers and seventy-nine of other
ranks, and of the ship's company the Captain, two wireless operators,
and six of other ratings were drowned.