including marine risk, was 333,000 gross tons, whereas Secretary von Capelle in his statement bases his argument on an average loss from submarine attacks alone of 600,000 tons per month. The figures for the quarter ended March 31, 1918, showed British losses to be 687,576 tons, and for the month of March 216,003 tons, the lowest during any month, with one exception, since January, 1917. With regard to steel, the First Lord has already assured the House of Commons that arrangements have been made for the supply of steel to give the output aimed at, and at the present time the shipyards are in every case fully supplied with the material. The American production of new tonnage reached its stride in May, and the estimate of over 4,000,000 tons per annum was regarded as conservative. It was estimated that the total British and American new tonnage in the year ending May, 1919, would exceed 6,000,000, as against total U-boat sinkings, based on the record of the first quarter of 1918, of 4,500,000. OFFICIAL RETURNS OF LOSSES The following was the official report of losses of British, allied, and neutral merchant tonnage due to enemy action and marine risk: Allied Period. British. and Neutral. Total. 1917. Month. Month. Month. January 193,045 216,787 409,832 February 343,486 231,370 574,856 March 375,309 259,376 634,685 -------- -------- ---------- Quarter 911,840 707,533 1,619,373 April 555,056 338,821 893,877 May 374,419 255,917 630,336 June 432,395 280,326 712,721 -------- -------- ---------- Quarter 1,361,870 875,064 2,236,934 July 383,430 192,519 575,949 August 360,296 189,067 519,363 September 209,212 159,949 369,161 -------- -------- --------- Quarter 952,938 541,535 1,494,473 October 289,973 197,364 487,337 November 196,560 136,883 333,443 December 296,356 155,707 452,063 -------- -------- --------- Quarter 782,889 489,954 1,272,843 1918. January 217,270 136,187 353,457 February 254,303 134,119 388,422 March 216,003 165,628 381,631 -------- -------- --------- Quarter 687,576 435,934 1,123,510