56129-1918-Curves-of-merchant-tonnage-sunk-by-enemy-action-and-of-German-submarines-sunk — Page 1

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THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, MARCH 1, 1918.

NOTICES.

81

No. 88.

COLONIAL SECRETARY'S DEPARTMENT.

The Admiralty has issued the following statement to the British Press with regard to the annexed diagram:-

In view of the statement made by the First Lord in the House of Commons on Thursday, 13th December, that the general curves of merchant tonnage sunk by enemy action and of German submarines sunk are satisfactory, it has been thought that the public would be interested to see these curves and they are placed at the disposal of the Press accordingly.

With regard to the first diagram, the height of the enemy submarine attack upon merchantmen was in April, 1917, and that accounts for the quarter ending June showing the "peak" since when the curve has steadily fallen, and in the last quarter of this year has reached the same figure as in the last quarter of 1916, which was before the unrestricted submarine attack began.

The second diagram shows that since the quarter ending September, 1916, there has been a steady re in the number of submarines sunk, and although for the last quarter of 1917 the number sunk has not further risen, it must be remembered that there are still the results of half a month to add, and we have already equalled the results of the quarter ending September, 1917.

Attention is particularly drawn to the notes at the foot of the diagrams which explain that they are statistically accurate and drawn to scale, but that obviously the scale is not the same in both, one being for tonnage of merchant vessels, and the other the number of submarines.

:

1st March, 1918.

LOSSES BY ENEMY ACTION

OF

MERCHANT TONNAGE

BRITISH, ALLIED, NEUTRAL.

CLAUD SEVERN,

Colonial Secretary.

GERMAN SUBMARINES

SUNK.

Mar. June. Sept. Dec. Mar.

June. Sept. Dec. Mar.

June. Sept. Dec. Маг. June. Sept. Dec.

1916.

1917.

Quarter Ended.

1916. Quarter Ended.

1917.

These Diagrams are:----

Statistically Accurate, based on facts up to 17th December and include no Estimated or Uncertain

Figures.

Diagrammatically Accurate and Strictly to Scale but obviously not to a uniform scale.