BRITAIN'S HUGE SACRIFICES

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3188, 12 September 1917, Page 11

BRITAIN'S HUGE SACRIFICES

SHIPPING REDUCED BY THREE MILLION TONS , London, July 26. Lord Kobert Gecil, the Minister of Blockade, in an interview -with the Associated Press yesterday, discussed the shipping situation at length, touching particularly on the sacrifices incurred by Great Britain, owing to the obligations imposed upon shipping as a result of the war.

"Ocean-going vessels of Britain registry, before the war were between- 17,000,000 and 18,000,000 tons," he 6aid by w*y of introduction.

"At present tho total, inclusive of prizes, and new ships, is slightly OTer 15,000,000 tons. ,

"The country, generally lias had to suffer great and increasing sacrifices tlirough the shortage of tonnage caused by war requirements ana submarine loeses," continued Lord Cecil. "I wish' particularly to point out how wo have sacrificed ruthlessly the needs of industry and commerce to war requirements."

Lord Robert said that about C,500,000 tons of British merchant shipping had' now been allocated, entirely to the needs of the Navy and Army, tho Allies and the Dominions, while a further million tons were being used similarly on the outward journey, and, therefore, wore lost to the export trade.

Merchant Ships' Service. "The services rendered by these ships aro varied," said Lord Kobert. "Some of the speediest and most efficient of them, have been converted into auxiliary ciuisers, and others into hospital ships. Many of them are engaged in taking coal and oil to the -Navy, others constantly engaged in mine sweeping and patrol work, others aro assigned to our Allies to supply urgent needs for. munitions and othor imports, and others aro carrying wheat and. other foodstuffs for our Allies.

"From the beginning of the war, British ships have been requisitioned on a largo scale by the Government, and mn in national instead of private interest. The rates" paid to shipowners soon became much lower than could ba earned by free ships, and British owners therefore were unable to earn the same freights as-competitors. Now the situation has reached a stage at which it has beon necessary to tako complete control of all British shipping, first to en- ■ sure the employment o~ every vessel in the manner most consistent to the national interest, and, second to divert from private pockets to the national treasury the high freights prevalent. Shipping Requisitioned. "The result may be summarised as follows:— . "First, tho British 1 Government lias requisitioned about 97 per cent, of the ocean-going tramps on the British register; second, all. British liners have been requisitioned and' are being run for Government account; third, every oceangoing voyage of British steamers is now directed by tho Government with regard only to how it can obtain essential imports from tho nearest source, disregarding tho interests of shipowners and exporters alike; fourth, many trades built up in distant waters and sustained by British industry have been abandonod to neutrals, who gladly seek employment for thoir 'vessels in areas immuno from war risk; fifth, coastal traffic around tho shores of Great Britain is now being subjected to a searching a-eviow for the •purposo of withdrawing all vossol® which can be utilised for ocean-going work. "One effect of tho requisitioning is soon in the fact that tho current markot value of neutral ships is doublo that o£ British ships. i Crews Run Great Risks. "It also must bo borna in mind that officors and crews of British/merchant vessels have to run extraordinary risks in bringing necessary commodities hither. Tho areas around tho British Isles na.vo boon singled out by the enomy for special attack, but notwithstanding tho risk, the officers and men havo never njado difficulties about taking ships, througlj tho most dangerous routes." v Touching on the sacrifices wjiicli Uie country generally has had to su&'or, Lord Robert said: "Tho diversion of liners from lons distance to short distance trade has; inflicted injury on many British export trades, particularly to India and tno Jjar East, and also upon the interests of our cListant exporting colonics. "Second, a far-reaching programmo ot restrictions, of imports, has beon effected —luxuries havo been excluded, and tno importation even of essentials lias boon reduced to the lowest level. •"Third, the' restriction .on coasting facilities will create serious hardship for coast towns, which hitherto have relied on seaborne supplies. , T>„r„ rn "As to import curtailments- Botore tho war we imj£;ted 58,000,000 tons yearly. last year 43,000,000 tons, and the present year considerably less. .^™ n n large reduction does not exhibit the full amount of our sacrifices of commodities for use in manufactures or for salei to our world customers. Of tho P imports, less than a, quarter were stuffs. Last year more were foodstuffs or munitions, leaving 1e.3 than a third of the greatly reduced total for production industries. Reduction of Exports. "Exports to our Allies hajo increased to some extent, aa naturally collected, though this increase iBP rB senting tho special and transient feafee of tho present situation, affords no subl ituto for the loss of permanent trade. Our exports to other foreign and tho Dominions overseas ha\o lalicn ol "The rl loregoing figures as to. and exports rolate to our whole tiado. If it wore possible to analyse separately comparison would to still mo in" Fifty per cent, of the British ton nago, which formerly contributed to tho national revenue by its earnings in distant trades, now has been brought homo "Tho gap thus created is being filled to some 8 extent by neutral shWwhich has been withdrawn from the Euronean trade to take advantage of the profitable opportunity to obtain business S tho British, for tho time being, it ajiv rate, aro compelled to surrender. Lord Bobcrt emphasised, the vital importance to the Allies of stopping the trade in iron ore and wood pulp which the Scandinavian countries now aro carrying on with Germany.

Should Coerce Neutrals. , " You ask me," said / Lord Robert, "if tho United States is justified in threatening the Scandinavian countries with a stoppago of food supplies unless tbo ore trado is stopped. Tliero is no question at all that tho United States is entitled to act. Whether your country will be justified in so doins is a question which will havo-to bo decided at Washington. "Cortainty it seems hero that tno United States very properly may ask Sweden whether sho wants American products so much that she is willing to forgo her profits on trade with Oermany. "Iron ore and wood pulp traffic between Scandinavia and Germany is so important that it is hard to overestimate it. Our military and naval people tell mo that without Swedish iron, Gorman munition factories would be in a very difficult position. Sweden is exportingdirectly to Germany the fundamental materials for shells to kill our soldiers and yours. "It certainly would be a great mistake to neglect anv step which might put a halt to a traffic which means, every ton of it, the loss of Allied lives.'' Three hundred British vessels already have been armed, and a large number are being armed each week, said Dr. T. J. M'Namara, Financial Secretary to tlio Admiralty, in reply to a question in tho House of Commons yesterday. He added that tho Government was making great efforts to get a maximum number of merchantmen armed as soon as possible.