21 2 23
Aug. 12 14 2 16
Aug. 19 15 3 18
Aug. 26 18 5 23
Sept. 2 20 3 23
Sept. 9 12 6 18
Sept. 16 8 20 28
Sept. 23 13 2 15
Sept. 30 11 2 13
Oct. 7 14 2 16
Oct. 14 12 6 18
Oct. 21 17 8 25
Oct. 28 14 4 18
Nov. 4 8 4 12
Nov. 11 1 5 6

The table with its week by week report of the British losses is of
importance because at the time it was taken as a barometer
indicative of German success or failure. The German admiralty at the
moment of declaring the ruthless submarine war promised the people
of Germany that they would sink a million tons a month and by so
doing would force England to abject surrender in the face of
starvation within three months. During that period the whole
civilized world looked eagerly for the weekly statement of British
losses. Only at one time was the German estimate of a million tons
monthly obtained. Most of the time the execution done by the
undersea boats amounted to less than half that figure. So far from
England being beaten in three months, at the end of ten she was
still unshattered, though sorely disturbed by the loss of so much
shipping. Her new crops had come on and her statesmen declared that
so far as the food supply was concerned they were safe for another
year.

During this period of submarine activity the United States entered
upon the war and its government immediately turned its attention to
meeting the submarine menace. In the first four months literally
nothing was accomplished toward this end. A few submarines were
reported sunk by merchantmen, but in nearly every instance it was
doubtful whether they were actually destroyed or merely submerged
purposely in the face of a hostile fire. Americans were looked upon
universally as a people of extraordi