Conclusive proof of the diminution of the U boat menace is afforded by the Admiralty’s latest statement of losses of merchant tonnage. This reveals that the total losses in the world’s merchantmen for the month of June were 275,629 gross tons, comprising 161,062 British and 114,567 Allies and neutral. These figures show a monthly drop in the world’s sinking of 81,905 tons compared with May 37,786 compared with April and 125,834 compared with March, all of this year, while compared with the month of June last year the world’s drop is 437,092. The purely British drops are 64,627 compared with May, 67,005 compared with April and 63,604 compared with March of this year, and 271,333 compared with June of last year. Losses in the world’s tonnage including risk are lower for the month of June 1918, than in any month since September 1916.
