The British Navy at the beginning of the war totalled some 1,500,000 tons of ships, reckoning on the basis of displacement, comprising all types of battleships, cruisers, destroyers, and submarines. To this figure must be added an unspecified amount of commissioned tonnage for naval purposes, which is not inconsiderable in view. of the total number of big passenger liners and other suitable craft Great Britain possesses. Germany, it is stated, has only put out of action through sinking about 53,000 tons of warships, and most important units in this group were upwards of 25 years old.
In the first three months of the year, it is authoritatively learned, the British Navy enabled nearly 21,000,- 000 of British shipping to keep on the seas with a loss of four per cent. of total naval tonnage in actual losses or disablement. Moreover, it is pointed out, these losses are part of
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