_First Lord of the British Admiralty_
_Sir Eric Geddes in a speech before the House of Commons on
March 20, 1918, for the first time revealed the total shipping
losses of Great Britain and the other Allies and neutrals from
the beginning of the war up to Jan. 1, 1918. His summary was
followed next day by a statement from the Admiralty Office
giving the figures in fuller detail. This was made public
simultaneously at London and Washington. The essential portions
of both utterances are presented below. Sir Eric Geddes said:_
The world's tonnage from the commencement of the war until Dec. 31,
1917, exclusive of enemy-owned tonnage, has fallen by a net figure of,
roughly, 2,500,000 gross tons. This is out of 33,000,000 estimated
allied and neutral ocean-going tonnage, which is arrived at after
deducting small craft, river and estuary craft, and a considerable
amount of lake tonnage, tugs, &c., so that with a net loss of 2,500,000
tons we, the allied and neutral world, have suffered about 8 per cent.
reduction in ocean-going tonnage of the world, excluding enemy
countries. The total world's tonnage, exclusive of enemy tonnage, is
42,000,000, and the deduction is made after careful consideration and
investigation. The percentage of net loss in British tonnage alone is
higher than this, and reaches 20 per cent. for British tonnage, the more
favorable allied and neutral tonnage percentage being, of course, due
largely to a credit brought in by the United States of interned German
ships.
The main submarine attack is upon us. It was to starve these islands
that the enemy instituted this form of warfare. In 1915-16 the output of
new tonnage was very low--it was lowest in 1916. In fact, before the
intense submarine warfare commenced we were over 1,300,000 tons to the
bad from all causes since the beginning of the war. Then our shipping
has been in the war zone to a far greater extent and far longer than has
that of some of our allies, and our navigational risks and losses, which
are included, are greater, because of the absence of lights in the
waters around our coast and elsewhere.
With regard to enemy exaggeration: For the twelve months of
unrestricted submarine warfare, from Feb. 1, 1917, to Jan. 31, 1918, the
enemy has proclaimed in his public notifications that he has sunk over
9,500,000 tons of British, allied, and neutral shipping. The actual
figures of vessels sunk by submarine action, including those damaged and
ultimately abandoned, amount roughly to 6,000,000 tons, so that we have
an exaggeration of 3,500,000 tons in twelve months, or well over 58 per
cent. In January the exaggeration was 113 per cent. It is rather amusing
that since I publicly showed up this grossly false declaration of
results the usual return of submarine sinkings for February has not been
issued by Berlin. It is now overdue. I think, if any proof of the
failure of the campaign is needed, this exaggeration and Berlin's
reticence would show it.