(4)
The proposition had never been denied by either the belligerents, our enemies, or by the great neutral countries, as to the right of every merchant ship to arm itself for defensive, as contrasted with offensive, purposes. He had been greatly interested in observing the effect of the arming of merchant ships.
In the last two months the number of armed merchant ships had increased by 47.5 per cent. He did not know that that conveyed the amount of work involved. "We had, in the first place, to get guns in competition with the Army. We had to get the mountings, and, above all, we had to get the gun ratings. All I can say is that that increase in the arming of the merchant ships is going on better and better each week.
"When I tell the House the percentages, so far as I can gather, of the number of armed merchantmen and unarmed merchantmen that escaped the submarine menace, they will see how right we were to throw our whole force and power into carrying out this arming. As far as I can gather, of armed merchantmen that escape there are about seventy per cent. or seventy-five per cent., and of unarmed merchantmen twenty-four per cent. Therefore you will see how important is every gun you get and every ship you arm."
The First Lord proceeded: "We have made great preparations, and I would like, in passing, to say that the French have helped us considerably in this matter. There was some question at one time that some of the neutrals raised—as to whether our ships had a right to enter their ports armed. I must state that that has all been practically got over, and I do not believe that any international lawyer—and although the Germans have abandoned international law, the neutrals have not—will controvert the proposition which I stated in this House as to the right of a merchantman to arm itself against offence. I am stating that about the arming of merchant ships, and the effect it produces, not to minimise the difficulties or minimise the extent of the danger in which we are placed."
As to the progress of British losses, Sir Edward pointed out that their real significance could only be realised by comparing them with the volume of our shipping. He then compared, first, the total of British, Allied, and neutral shipping, taking the first eighteen days of each of the months of December, January, and February, with a view to showing the extent to which the so-called blockade by Germany has increased those losses. The figures given were those of merchant vessels over 100 tons net lost through submarines and mines, excluding fishing vessels. Fishing vessels were excluded because they are not brought in in a comparison with the amount of our trade entered and cleared every day in the various ports of the realm. After giving details of losses, he gave the totals.
"The totals of the items I have given for December were 118 vessels, amounting to 223,322 tons; for January, ninety-one vessels, amounting to 198,233 tons; for the first eighteen days of February, 134 vessels, amounting to 304,596 tons." These figures included the whole of December and January and the
