SHIPPING LOSSES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 12 December 1939, Page 7

SHIPPING LOSSES

PAST WEEK’S TOTAL THIRD HIGHEST SINCE WAR BEGAN. NEUTRALS SUFFER HEAVILY. Daventry reports that German mines have accounted for two more British ships off the east coast of England, the naval drifted Ray of Hope, and the 5000 ton ship Willowpool. Four men on the drifter were killed, and live are missing. All members of the crew of tire Willowpool have been landed. Three British ships totalling 14,000 tons are overdue, the Ashlea. 4000 tons: Crevanion. 5000 tons and Newtown Beach 4600 tons. A fourth ship, the Hunceman is also reported missing. During the past week. 60.000 tons of shipping have been lost. This is the third highest weekly total since the war began. The British losses totalled 33,000 tons, and the balance were neutral sb'ps. It is pi inted out that Britain has al - ways more than 2000 ships at sea. and everyday between 101) and 150 ships enter or leave British ports. Of every 110.000 tons of shipping which entered British ports. Germany by mines and submarine, had sunk 1000 tons. Less than one in every 750 of convoyed ships had been sunk.