London, Nov. 29.
have every reason to believe that we are holding and can continue to hold the sub mai 1 menace, and every reason to believe that we shall similarly find means to deal with indite criminate mine-laying." This sta itoment was made by Lord Stanhope, Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Lords, replying in the debate on the King's Address, in the House of Lords yesterda; Gross exaggeration by German broadcasts regarding recent losses of British merchant shipping is revealed by figures just published by the Admiralty.
These figures show that British losses during the week ending at midnight, November 25, totalled eleven merchantmen, with a tonnage of 25,787 tons, Total losses since the beginning of the war up to the same date are Great Britain with 78 vessels, 288,169 ton: France with ten ships, 51,150 tons; and neutrals losing 43 vessels, totalling 144,592 tons.
These figures make an interesting comparison with the position in April, 1917, during which month alone 196 British ships, with a total tonnage of 522,000 tons, and 420 vessels in all, totalling 852,000. tons, were sunk.
Attention is being drawn in London maritime circles to the recent tendency on the part of German submarine commanders to attack une protected fishing trawlers. In areas Where Immediate counter-action of anti-submarine forees Is not expected. 'Although only four neutral" ships were lost as a result of German action during the past week, the neutral tonnage stink Is almost as great the British, owing to the sinking of large vessels, such as the Terukuni Maru, Grazia' and Slledreeht, Admiralty Dentes Crulser Sunk 'The German radio claim that a cruiser of the M.S. London class has been sunk, states the Admiralty today, Is devoid of truth. 'The German' broadcast had claimed that the British heavy cruiser had been tor-pedeed and destroyed east of the Shetlands by a submarine commanded by. Lieut.-Commander Prien, who Was responsible for sinking the Royal Onk.—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.