HC Deb 04 June 1918 vol 106 cc1399-400
32. Sir ARCHIBALD WILLIAMSON

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether the figures published monthly by the Admiralty of shipping losses are those of the net registered tonnage lost; and whether, seeing that in the statements as to the amount of tonnage being built in the United States the figure of dead-weight tonnage are generally used and it takes 2 dead-weight tons to equal 1 ton net register, he will take steps to prevent a comparison being misleading?

Dr. MACNAMARA

The figures published by the Admiralty of shipping losses and tonnage built— whether in the United Kingdom, United States of America, or elsewhere— are gross registered tons and not net registered tons. This is clearly shown in the heading of each published statement. Every effort has been made to avoid misleading comparisons between American and British output.

Sir A. WILLIAMSON

Is it not the fact that the newspaper reports of tonnage launched in the United States shows the gross dead-weight of tonnage and not gross registered tonnage, and the one is much larger than the other, and therefore the country is misled as to the amount of tonnage which is being replaced?

Dr. MACNAMARA

That is the fact. The American figures are dead-weight and ours are gross registered tonnage, but we have pointed out the difference in order to avoid misleading the public.