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Protection of Seaborne Trade.

8. A total of 685 vessels has been convoyed during the week; 495 British, 30 Allied and 160 Neutral.

Convoys have arrived from Halifax, Sierra Leone and Gibraltar, comprising 98 ships. In addition 69 ships have arrived in convoy from Norway.

One ship only the British Triumph-was lost in convoy; it is almost certain that this was due to a mine, and not to torpedo attack.

43 destroyers, 24 escort vessels, 3 submarines, 9 armed merchant cruisers, besides 3 cruisers and 2 battleships have been employed in close escort duties.

Since commencement of hostilities total number of ships convoyed is:-

British ... Allied Neutral

Total

7,936

495

538

8,969

93

of these 17 British and 2 Neutrals have been sunk, giving a percentage of approxi- mately 0.2 per cent., or 1 in 530.

Anti-Submarine Operations.

9. During the week under review there have been 14 attacks on submarines- 12 by surface craft and 2 by aircraft. Of the former, one by H.M.S. Gleaner on U.33 in the approaches to the Clyde was definitely successful-3 officers and 16 ratings being taken prisoner, and 22 bodies recovered.

There is also reason to hope that an attack carried out by two anti-submarine trawlers, Le Tiger and Cape Warwick, in the approaches to the Forth was effective; and an attack by H.M.S. Whitshed, on the 14th, on the submarine believed to be that which had just torpedoed the Sultan Star, was almost certainly decisive.

German Attack on Seaborne Trade.

10. The total tonnage, British, Allied and Neutral lost through enemy action during the week was 59,041, of which 26,727 was British.

There was an increase of U-boat activity, 3 British ships and 5 Neutral having been attacked, of which all but one were sunk. Details of these attacks, as well as of 2 British and 4 Neutral merchant ships mined or lost through unknown causes are shown in Appendix I. Two particularly flagrant cases, indicative of the complete German disregard of elementary neutral rights, were the sinking of the Dutch s.s. Burgurdijk and the Danish s.s. Chastine Maersk. The former was attacked off the Scilly Isles whilst on passage from New York to Rotterdam, and the latter 65 miles north-east of Shetlands, whilst on passage from Morocco to Denmark. Neither had any business with Great Britain.

Details of attacks by aircraft on East Coast shipping will be found in Appendix II; as previously mentioned, the results obtained were negligible.

British s.s. Ampleforth, shown in Weekly Résumé No. 23 as overdue, has now arrived at Norfolk, Virginia, 17 days late.

German Minelaying.

11. Moored mines, which had been recently laid, have been swept up near Cromer Knoll.

The survivors of U.33 stated that they had laid 5 mines before being sunk; the accuracy of this statement has not been confirmned.

British Mine Sweeping.

12.

The Port of Dundee, which at the date of issue of the last résumé was closed on account of the loss of the Estonian s.s Anu, was reopened on the 10th February.

In the vicinity of the Sunk Light Vessel H.M.S. Borde has exploded four mines, and the double “L sweep one; skids detonated one off Lowestoft.

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