WARFARE AT SEA

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21155, 3 July 1940, Page 8

WARFARE AT SEA

BRITISH SHIPPING LOSSES COMPARISON WITH GERMAN (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyrlgrdt) (Received July 3, 3.15 p.m.) LONDON, July 2 The Admiralty announced that the British lost 82,259 tons of merchant shipping in this week ended June 24. During the worst period of the last war—April, 1917—Britain lost nearly three times the number of merchantmen and twice the tonnage weekly compared with the losses for the month ended June 24. The sinkings were considerably heavier than in previous weeks, due to the increased number of U-boats operating, mainly in the western approaches to the Bay of Biscay, probably from French ports. Despite heavy losses Britain’s actual tonnage position is better than in last December, due to new construction, captures from the enemy and transfers from other flags. The Italian mercantile losses to June 30, were 229,000 tons and the German losses 857,000 tons. The total British losses include 30,446 tons lost during the combined operations off the French ports, therefore they are not mercantile losses in the ordinary sense. Similarly 33,020 tons out of 69,770 tons of Allied shipping were lost in like circumstances. The net mercantile losses, therefore, are: —British, eight ships, 57,813 tons; Allied, eight ships, 36,750 tons; neutral, eleven ships, 34,882 tons—a total of 27 ships, totalling 129,445 tons. It is learned that no Anglo-Allied ships have been sunk in the Mediterranean.