General Sir John Monash, Personal Files Book 18, 21 April - 8 May 1918, Part 6

-5-

(g) The engagement of machine guns in divisional or brigade

reserve should be governed by the tactical situation and

the urgency of breaking definitely the resistance of the 
enemy at certain points.

(h) When firing a defensive barrage the necessity of ensuring

that a sufficient supply of filled belts is always kept in

reserve for direct fire must be kept in mind.  The necessity

of being able to change quickly from indirect to direct fire, 

when the tactical situation renders this necessary should

be impressed on all ranks.

(i) Machine guns disposed in depth have proved very effective

especially where they are placed in position beforehand, or

have proceeded to positions or emplacements allotted beforehand.

The system of leaving machine gun emplacements empty

with no machine guns definitely allotted to them, but to

be occupied by machine guns detailed as the battle directs,

has proved unsatisfactory.

Copy-5-5-1918.
CONFIDENTIAL.                                  
DCFC/X/400.

Headquarters,

Fourth Army. 

Within the last few days four letters written by
officers of high rank have been found to contain allusions

calculated to do harm to the Allied cause. Considering the

minute proportion of franked letters which are re-examined

at the bases, the number is somewhat remarkable.

Criticisms of Allied troops and of British and

Allied commanders have been made and information as to the

efficiency and location of formations have been divulged.

The opinions of senior officers must necessarily

carry weight and it is therefore all the more important that

they should write nothing which might help the enemy or

undermine national confidence.

Will you please bring this memorandum to the notice

of all general officers and senior staff officers under your
command.

(Sgd) H. A. Lawrence,

Lieut.-General,
Chief of the General Staff.
G.H.Q.,                                                                               
27/4/18.

Hand drawn diagram - see original document
COMPILED 26-4-18
FROM DAILY MAIL 24-4-18

[*23/5/18*]
THE TIMES, THURS

SHIPPING  LOSSES.

ALLIED  AND  NEUTRAL

TOTAL  LOWER.

BRITISH  FIGURES  HIGH.

The monthly Admiralty statement of losses of 

British, Allied, and neutral merchant tonnage

due to enemy action and marine risk was issued

yesterday.   The following table gives the gross
tonnage of losses for April, 1918, compared

with those for preceding periods.  The quarterly

figures are set in black type:—

	British.	Allied and  Neutral.	Total.
1917.	Month.	Month.	Month.
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	549,363
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 .. ..	218,528*	136,187	354,715*
February ..	254,303	134,239*	388,542*
March .. ..	222,549*	176,924*	399,473*
Quarter ..	695,380*	447,350*	1,142,730*
April .. ..	220,709	84,393	305,102

*Adjusted.
The Secretary of the Ministry of Shipping

announces that the tonnage of steamships of 500

gross tons and over entering and clearing

United Kingdom ports from and to ports

overseas was as under:-

Period, 1918.                     Gross tons.

January      . .      . .      . .      6,336,663

February    . .      . .      . .      6,326,965

March          . .      . .     . .      7,295,620

April             . .      . .      . .     7,040,309

NOTE.- This statement embraces all United

Kingdom seaborne traffic other than coastwise and

cross-Channel.

_^**^* An article by our Naval Correspondent on
shipping losses and output appears on page 8.
HIGHER  SHIPPING  RATES.

Shipowners yesterday received an intimation that

the Ministry of Shipping has consented to a revision

of Blue-book rates, in view of the case put forward

by the Chamber of Shipping that the present rates

mean either very small profits or no profit at all.

The Chamber of Shipping compiled what they

considered was a very strong case, and gave numerous

instances of the losses that had been and were

being sustained.   The Ministry now are understood

to state that they have given favourable consideration

to the claim.   This means that a considerable

advance in rates will be made.

A BLIND SOLICITOR

HONOURED.
3DRL/2316

A YEAR'S DECLINE IN SHIPPING LOSSES.

Diagram - see original document
(* 23/5/18 *)

MERCHANT SHIPPING LOSSES IN MARCH.

NEW RETURN OF TONNAGE FIGURES.
The Admiralty return of shipping losses by submarine and mine was issued last night in
a different form, in accordance with the official reply given to Mr. George Lambert in the House
of Commons three weeks ago.

The Government propose to issue information as to the gross tonnage lost and the

tonnage of sailings to and from the United Kingdom monthly in future, the tables to appear

in the Press on the Thursday morning following the 21st of each month.
The information now published weekly as to the numbers of vessels lost, and the numbers
entering, and clearing from, United Kingdom ports, will be discontinued.

LOSSES  OF  MERCHANT  TONNAGE.

The losses of British, Allied, and neutral merchant tonnage due to enemy action and

marine risk during the month of March, 1918, compared with preceding periods, are set out
below:-

			GROSS TONNAGE.
Period.	British.		Allied and Neutral.		Total.
	Month.	Quarter.	Month.	Quarter.	Month.	Quarter.
1917.
January ..	193,045	---	216,787	---	409,832	---
February ..	343,486	---	231,370	---	574,856	---
March ..	375.309	911,840	259,376	707, 533	634,685	1,619,373
April ..	555,056	---	338,821	---	893,877	---
May ..	374,419	---	255,917	---	630,336	---
June ..	432,395	1,361,870	280,326	875,064	712,721	2,236,934
July ..	383,430	---	192,519	---	575,949	---
August ..	360,296	---	189,067	---	549,363	---
September ..	209,212	952,938	159,949	541,535	369,161	1,494,473
October ..	289,973	---	197,364	---	487,337	---
November ..	196,560	---	136,883	---	333,443	---
December ..	296,356	782,889	155,707	489,954	452,063	1,272,843
1918.
January   ..   ..  ..	217,270	---	136,187	---	353,457	---
February   ..   .. ..	254,303	---	134,119	---	388,422	---
March  ..   ..   ..   ..	216,003	687,576	165,628	435,934	381,631	1,123,510

SAILINGS TO AND FROM UNITED KINGDOM.

The Secretary of the Ministry of Shipping announces that the tonnage of steamships

of 500 gross tons and over entering and clearing United Kingdom ports from and to ports 
overseas was as follows:-

Period.	Gross Tons.	Period.	Gross Tons.
1917.- October ..	6,908,189	1918.- January .. ..	6,336,663
November    ..	6,818,564	February          .. ..	6,326,965
December ..	6,665,413	March ..            .. ..	7,295,620

NOTE.- This statement embraces all United Kingdom seaborne traffic other than coastwise
and cross-Channel.

[*Times Apr 25 1918*]

SUBMARINE  WAR.

[*Daily Tel. Apr 25 1918*]

OFFICIAL  RETURN  OF  LOSSES.

Last night the Secretary of the Admiralty

issued the following :

The Government propose to issue information

as to the gross tonnage lost and the tonnage of

sailings to and from the United Kingdom

monthly in future, the tables to appear in the

Press on the Thursday morning following the

21st of each month.

The information now published weekly as to

the numbers of vessels lost, and the numbers

entering, and clearing from, United Kingdom

ports, will be discontinued.

The losses of British, allied and neutral

merchant tonnage due to enemy action and

marine risk during the month of March, 1918,

compared with preceding periods are set out

below in gross tons:

PERIOD.	BRITISH.	ALLIED 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	549,363
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

The Secretary of the Ministry of Shipping

states that the tonnage of steamships of 500

gross tons and over entering and clearing United

Kingdom ports from and to ports overseas was

as under:

Period.	Gross tons	Period.	Gross tons.
1917		1918
October ...	6,908,189	January ...	6,336,663
November.	6,818,564	February ..	6,326,965
December.	6,665,413	March......	7,295,620

This statement embraces all United Kingdom

seaborne traffic other than Coastwise and

Cross Channel.
3DRL/226 

[*6/6/18*]
SHIPYARD  OUTPUT.
GOOD  RECORD  FOR  MAY.        
QUICKER  FITTING-OUT.
The Secretary of the Admiralty makes the following
announcement : -
The tonnage of merchant vessels completed in
United Kingdom yards and entered for service during
May, 1918, compared with preceding periods, was as
under : -

Month.	Completions.	Year ending.	Completions.
1917.	Gross tons.	1917.	Gross tons.
May	69,773	May 31	773,116
June	109,847	June 30	833,863
July	83,073	July 31	865,147
Aug.	102,060	Aug. 31	928,470
Sept,	63,150	Sept. 30	957,185
Oct.	148,309	Oct. 31	1,045,036
Nov.	158,826	Nov. 30	1,133,336
Dec.	112,486	Dec. 31	1,163,474
1918.		1918.
Jan.	58,568	Jan. 31	1,173,953
Feb.	100,038	Feb. 28	1,194,540
March.	161,674	March 31	1,237,515
April	111,533	April 30	1,279,337
May	197,274	May 31	1,406,838

LORD  PIRRIE'S  TRIBUTE.
The Controller-General of Merchant Shipbuilding    

makes the following comments : -
The satisfactory output for May reflects great
credit on the whole industry, and particularly on
those firms engaged in the fitting-out of vessels.
The efforts made to reduce the period between the
launching and completion of merchant ships by 

closer co-ordination between  shipbuilders and marine
engineers have produced satisfactory results, and the 

average time of fitting-out has been considerably
reduced; in one instance during the month a 5,000-ton
steamer was completed for service within 19 days
of the launch.
This acceleration in the fitting-out has increased
the output for May, but the public are again reminded
that the output should be gauged over an extended
period, and not on the results of any one month,
either good or bad.
A  YEAR'S  CHANGES  IN  OUTPUT.
Diagram - see original document
AN  ENCOURAGING  RETURN.                       
"RECORD"  MONTH IN THE YARDS.
(From Our Nava  Correspondent.)
The Shipbuilding Return for May shows a marked
improvement in the output of completed vessels, but
the total falls short of the monthly average required
to produce the maximum figure of 3,000,000 tons
mentioned in the White Paper issued on March 22.
This is the standard which the yards have to work
up to, and, with the increased effort which the
Controller-General refers to in the Return, is what we
may hope to see achieved before long.
The public is warned once more not to base its
estimate of the situation on the figures for anything
less than an extended period.   It should not let the
present rise in output make it over-confident.  This
is good advice, but the people will find it difficult
to follow.   Just as a drop of 33 per cent. in the output
from March to April was distinctly disappointing,
so the rise of a little over 75 per cent. in the
figures for May will be more cheering than the upward
tendency which has been spread over a period of many
months.   The fact that the shipbuilders completed
85,741 tons in May above the total for April, and that
the figures for May also constitute a " record " for
the last 12 months, must be regarded as encouraging.
Moreover, if this rate of building can be continued
for the year, the total will be higher than the
minimum estimate of 1,800,000 tons.
The total amount turned out during the five months
of this year is now 629,087 tons, which gives an
average of 125,817 tons a month.   The record, however,
is singularly uneven.   The average was exceeded
in March by 35,857 tons and in May by 71,457 tons.
The country cannot be satisfied, nor will the nation's
needs be met, until a higher output is steadily maintained.
During the first four months of this year
the average loss per month of British tonnage  was
229,022 tons, which, compared with output, shows
that there is demanded a larger figure of production
than even the record for May in order to make up
leeway for this year only, not to speak of that for
the earlier years.   It may, indeed, be expected that
the shipping losses will now decrease, and it is even
possible to hope from the tenor of the official
announcements that the figure of completed tonnage
for May will exceed that of the ships sunk, but this
will not mean that the urgent necessity for rapid
construction has in any way diminished. 

[*23/5/18*]
SHIPPING  LOSSES  AND
OUTPUT.
STILL  A  BIG  DEFICIT.
(From Our Naval Correspondent.)
The monthly return of mercantile losses by enemy
action and marine risks, of which the second issue is
now published, shows a reduction in the number of
British ships which were sunk in April as compared
with figures for the preceding month.   The
difference to the good is 1,840 tons, but this it should
be noted is brought about by an adjustment of the
figures for March.   In the earlier return the loss for
that month was given as 216,003 tons, to which 6,546 

tons have been added, making the total 222,549
instead of 216,003 tons, whereas the figures for April
in this return are 220,709 tons.   It cannot be said that
there is any very appreciable falling-off in British
losses here, since the difference does not amount to
the tonnage of more than one ship of the larger class
which appeared in the former weekly return.
This conclusion, however, refers to British ships,
and the sinking of Allied and neutral shipping, as
shown by the new return, has declined in much greater
proportion.   There is a drop of 92,531 tons in the
amount of loss, or the equivalent of 20 ships of about
4,500 tons apiece.   This may be considered equal to
an improvement at the rate of 20 large ships in a month
of four weeks, which it is not unreasonable to regard as
satisfactory.   March, however, was a bad month, even
on the showing in the earlier return ; but those figures
have also been adjusted, and 11,296 tons have been
added, making the loss for March 176,924 tons, the
worst for Allied and neutral shipping in six months.
The total loss for April, as against that for March,
shows a fall of 94,371 tons, and the figures generally
for the 13 months given in the return undoubtedly
show, with few fluctuations, continued improvement.
NEED  OF  SHIPYARD  STIMULUS.
It is necessary, however, in order to arrive at a
fuller estimate of the actual position, to place against
the losses the output of new shipping.   This it is now
possible to do, so far as British vessels are concerned,
for the first four months of the year.   The following
is a tabulated statement of the official tonnage
figures : - 

1918.	British Losses.	British production.
January ..	218,528	58,568
February ..	254,303	100,038
March ..	222,549	161,674
April ..	220,709	111,533
Totals for four months ..	916,709	431,813

The difference  between the loss in British ships
and the output in British yards was 484,276 tons -
that is to say, production did not make up even one-half
the tonnage sunk in the first four months of the
year.   There can be no doubt that the serious drop
in output for April disappointed every one, and it
was not at all reassuring to learn yesterday that the
work at certain shipyards was again delayed owing
to the men extending their Whitsuntide holidays.
Sir Eric Geddes announced some little time ago that
steps were being taken to bring home to the workers
in every yard the tonnage output figures of the United
Kingdom from time to time, and to publish the output
of tonnage district by district.   It certainly looks
as if some movement in this direction were very
desirable, particularly if there is to be any hope of
reaching the 1,800,000 tons which was the minimum
figure of production in the United Kingdom indicated
for 1918 in the White Paper of March 22.   It is worth
considering whether it would not be as well to supplement
these monthly returns by the old method of
weekly reports, and to give side by side the losses
of ships and the numbers completed in the various
districts.
Naturally British figures alone do not supply
everything that is necessary to see the problem as a
whole.   Admiral Sims said a few days ago that,
while the curve of loss was steadily going down, the
curve of building was going up, and that by this time
they would cross.   It may be supposed that he was
referring to world production, but unfortunately it
is not possible from official figures to compare world
production with the total loss, because the official
return only gives the tonnage launched in Allied and
neutral countries.   The launch of a ship means very
little as a stage in her production, for she may be
put into the water either a mere shell or so nearly
finished that completion is a matter of few weeks.
Unofficial announcements from America sometimes
give the number of ships completed in a certain
period, but these are very indefinite, and more often
a launch is referred to as if it meant that the operation
of putting a vessel into the water were the same
thing as completing her.
FIGHTING  THE  U-BOATS.
The encouraging news is the evidence which comes
from several quarters of the increased effectiveness
of the methods taken for dealing with the submarine.
The French Minister of Marine has recently asserted
that the destruction of the German boats has outrun
production.   The Italian Minister of Marine has gone
still further, and stated that "there is good reason to
believe we are masters of the submarine situation in 
the Mediterranean."   This is the more important
because Sir Eric Geddes admitted not long since that
the U-boats regarded their work in those waters
as a comparatively easy task.   Again, only last
Friday Admiral Wilson, who commands the American
naval forces in French waters, said that, in consequence
of the successful results of the cooperation of
American and French seamen, not a single vessel
was lost by torpedoing during last month in the area
where American warships were at work.   The effect
of the recent action at the ports on the Belgian
coast, as well as that of the new mine-barrier in the
North Sea, should also, it may be expected, have an
important influence in this direction.              

Diagram - see original document
COMPILED 26-4-18
FROM DAILY MAIL
24-4-18