Merchant Ship Losses REDUCTION SHOWN

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 20 February 1941, Page 8

Merchant Ship Losses REDUCTION SHOWN

For I lie ninth week in succession losses of merchant ships through enemy action are well below the weekly average for the whole period of the war. The latest available official figures those for the week ended February 0, !' are less tbau one-half of the weekly r The worst week of the war was that ended October 20, during which 45 ships totalling 108,030 tons, were sunk. The seven days to December 8 proved another black week, 23 ships totalling 101,100 tons being sunk. Since the latter date, however, the i>osition has been more reassuring, the average tonnage sunk during the nine weeks to February 9 being only 38.450 tons, as against a weekly average since September 3, 1940, of 63,490 tons. A higher figure must he expected for the week ended February 16, however, since this will include the several ships sunk by a raider which attacked a convoy in the North Atlantic. Heavy Losses During the first 12 months of the j war 762 merchant ships totalling | 2.855,870 tons were lost through enemy j action. This total included 406 British ships of 1,611.842 tons, 103 Allied ships j of 474,816 tons and 253 neutral ships i

of 769,212 tons. Official figures so far published cover I 23 weeks of the second year of the war I to February 9. During this period merchant ship losses have included 255 British vessels totalling 1,109,115 tons, , 66 Allied ships of 241,786 tons and 31 neutral ships of 109,376 tons, making h total of 352 ships of 1,460,277 tons. This gives a weekly average for the 23 weeks of 15 ships of 63,490 tons, of which British losses averaged 11 | ships of 48.220 tons. For the whole period of the war from September 3, 1030, to February 0. 1941, total merchant ship losses have been 1114 vessels of 4,316,147 tous. This total includes 661 British ships of 2.720,957 tons, 169 Allied ships of 716,602 tons aud 284 neutral ships of 878.58 S tons. This gives a weekly average for the 75 weeks of 15 ships of 57,550 tons. The improvement shown since December 8 is indicated by a weekly average for the nine weeks of 10 ships of 38,450 tons, of which approximately eight were British of 27,200 tons. Enemy Suffers Since the beginning of the war losses of German merchant ships by capture, sinking or scuttling total 1,330,000 tons, and Italian a total of 623,000 tous. In addition some 60.000 tons of neutral shipping under enemy control has been sunk. This makes the total enemy losses 2,013,000 tons, compared with a total British loss of 2.720,950 tons. An Admiralty statement says thafc since January 7 the Germans have lost 73,000 tons of merchant shipping and the Italians 173,000 tons, in addition to a number of enemy-controlled neutral ships, bringing the total enemy losses for the five weeks to February 0 up to 257,000 tons, which compares with 209,110 tons, British. Allied and neutral, lost during the same period. As has been said, losses during the vveek ended December 8 totalled 23 merchant ships of 101,190 tons, of .vhich 19 were British vessels of 86,740 tons, three were Allied ships of 12,937 tons, and otic neutral of 1513 ions. For the nine weeks since December 9, total losses have been 93 vessels of 346,330 tons, including 68 Bri:ish ships of 24-1.879 tons, 21 Allied ships of 87.838 lons and four neutral >f 13.413 tons. Situation In Hand While 11 actuations in the weekly merchant ship losses must be expected from time to time, the recent improvement has been sustained long enough to Indicate that the Royal Navy is once again getting control of the situation. The Nazis declared their “total blockade” of Britain last August, at a time when she was feeliug the loss of French assistance at sea and was endeavouring to redress the adverse balance of naval strength in the Mediterranean, following the entry of Italy into the war. Six months ago the Royal Navy Mas hard pressed for destroyers, esI cort ships and other anti-submarine vessels and merchant ship losses became progressively serious. As the First Lord of the Admiralty points out the British Navy since last June has had to perform single-handed the work which in 1917-18 was shared between Britain, France, Italy, the United States and Japan, which mustered between them some 900 destroyers. Even so, during 1917, the weekly losses of merchant ship tonnage were considerably higher than they have beeD during the last six months. Navy’s <*reat Burden It is difficult to measure the tremendous burden carried single-handed by the Royal Navy since the collapse of France. It is true that British seaborne trade lias suffered grievously heavy losses by enemy action; but for every ship sunk, hundreds have completed their voyages. The Navy has been faced with the onerous task of patrolling the ocean routes of the world, and, despite the fractional losses of merchant shipping due to enemy raiders, it has done its job well. The oeoaus are wide and vast and cruisers are far too few.

While patrolling the oceans, the Navy has had also to provide escorts for many convoys. Despite the shortage of escort ships, the Navy in recent months has convoyed more than 3000 merchant ships of which only nine have been lost rhrotnrh enemy action. In The Mediterranean And nil Ibis lime. too. the Uoj-al Niiyj has not only guarded Britain from invasion, hut it has made ppssible the triumphant campaign against Italy in northern Africa, materially assisted the Greek campaign in Albania. and indicted heavy losses or. -lie Italian Navy and its bases. The Royal Navy has established complete mastery of the Mediterranean, hrough which it has passed convoy iftor convoy of ships carrying troops ind supplies for the British and Greek irmies. It has co-operated closely with the Army arid the Air Force ju attacking enemy positions in Africa, arid it has carried out bold arid successful bojn hard men ts of bases in Italy. On the European front its duties extend from the Arctic Ocean to the strait of Gibraltar, and thence to the Dardanelles. With all its many preoccupations the Navy has strength to <&pare to meet the situation in the Far East. In fact, there is no end to the jobs the Navy has to attend to.-- ( S.I ).\Y.)