During the week the number of vessels, British and neutral,
riEstroyed by enemy submarines has unhappily been large. Though the subject is not one for panic, it is one for grave anxiety. rho calls upon shipping, for feeding the people of these islands, !or taking our men abroad, for supplying them with all they want, kir bringing back the wounded and men on leave, arc so large that every ton is precious. Therefore, even though the percentage af loss by submarines is on the whole not very great, it is, to put -4 at the lowest, a cause of great inconvenience. Unquestionably our naval authorities realize this as keenly as, or rather a good deal more keenly than, can any civilian ; but also they realize that they have other work equally important to do, and we must INITO it to them to strike the balance in regard to their obligations. Nothing could be more foolish than to worry our sailors by panic :oils to do this or that when it might very well happen, though the public did not realize it, that at the moment the great, the essential need was not the apparent need. We must trust the naval authorities % hold the balance. That is the only path of safety.
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