WAR ON SHIPPING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 144, 19 June 1940, Page 9

WAR ON SHIPPING.

BRITISH LOSSES. Enemy Reverses Since Italy Joined Nazis. ITALIAN LINER HELD UP. British Official Wireless. (Received 11.30 a.m.) RUGBY, June 18. During the week ended midnight on June 9, 46,960 tons of British, Allied and neutral shipping was lost through enemy action. The total British tonnage lost was 45,936, hut of this figure 4400 tons was lost during operations at FrVnch Channel ports, and was, therefore, not mercantile losses in the ordinarv sense.

Similarly, of the Allied losses, amounting to 1623 tons, some 071 tons were sunk in like circumstances. Corrected figures, showing the true mercantile losses during the week, are, therefore, nine British ships, totalling 41,530 tons, two Allied ships, totalling 952 tons, two neutral ships, totalling 4472 tons. From the outbreak of war to June Iβ, German mercantile losses reached 837,000 tons. Italy, since her entry into the war, had lost 230,000 tons. The convoy system still maintains its efficiency. Up to June 12. 24,097 British,* Allied and neutral ships were couvoyed. The loss was only 37, or about* one in 772. Of the 315)2 neutral ships convoved, only three have been lost. The liner Monarch of Bermuda, on which 700 Italians, including Signor Bastainini, the Ambassador to Britain, which was scheduled to leave for Lisbon from a northern port last week-end, has not yet sailed, says a cable message. Meantime 20 Italians, who refused to sail, have been interned.