What the British Navy Did Doriiig The Great War i66 THE YPRES TIMES Those boys played the game. They are gonebut they live somewhere. It was not in vain. We can keep faith with them by upholding England's honour and glory before all nations. If we maintain a strong Navy and make it known that our strength is never to be used for attack, but for protection until the rest of the world settle their differences and learn to live in peace, we shall prevent a great war. We shall also thereby encourage trade and remedy world unemployment. With England on the up-grade other nations will follow but, if England is weakened and falls, the world will go down with her. Let us organize in every village and town to strengthen our Government to rid the country of godless propagandists and revolutionary agents. Let us boycott cinemas that show the least sign of acting as propagandists for subversive and godless influences. Each of us is endowed with talents to be accounted for. We must use them expediency is false. We can forgive personal injury but we must not turn the other cheek to the enemies of God. If we think these things out and try to act like Christians and like men of British breed, we shall be keeping faith with the dead. W. E. R. Martin, PaymasterRear-Admiral. During the four years of the War, British ships transported no less than thirteen millions of men overseas, and only lost 2,700 lives through enemy action! This remarkable achievement was made possible, to a large extent, by British womennever forget that Speaking about the British Navy, here are a few facts worth remembering Five million, five hundred thousand tons of German shipping, and one million tons of Austrian shipping were driven off the seas by Admiral Beatty's squadrons. Oversea trade and oversea colonies of the enemy were cut off, and two million Huns of fighting age were thus prevented from joining the enemy. In 1916, two thousand, one hundred mines were swept up and eighty-nine mine-sweepers were lost. In 1914 there were only twelve mine-sweepers and patrol boats. Four years later these numbered 3,300. In order that British ships patrolled the seas, they had to navigate eight million miles each month. The British Navy transported more than thirteen million men overseas, two million horses and mules, five hundred thousand vehicles, twenty-five million tons of explosives, fifty-one million tons of oil and fuel, one hundred and thirty million tons of food and other war materials for the use of the Allies. In one month, three hundred and fifty thousand men were transported to France from England. Great Britain transported two-thirds of the American Army to France and England, and escorted one-half of their total transports. That, comrades, is only part of what the British Navy accomplished. Reprinted from The Listening Post.'

HISTORISCHE KRANTEN

The Ypres Times (1921-1936) | 1933 | | pagina 8