But not a man refused to go to sea again,
even when his last ship had been torpedoed and his chums been killed.
That is the first glory of the Mercantile Marine. But there are many
more. And not the least is the pluck with which the British, who did
most and lost most, started the race for oversea trade again, though at
an enormous disadvantage compared with those who did least and gained
most.
All kinds of British sea-power did magnificent work in the war, whether
building ships, sailing them with passengers and cargoes, or fighting
them. The Navy and Mercantile Marine gained eleven million tons during
the war, exactly half each. But as the Mercantile Marine lost nine
millions sunk, it ended three-and-a-half to the bad, a terrible handicap
in the race with the shipping of countries which, like the United States
have made stupendous fortunes by the war, besides gaining enormously in
shipping and oversea trade. Norway, Japan, and the States gained most.
The States came out of the war three and three-quarter million tons to
the good, thus gaining over seven millions as compared with the British.
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