Our own commerce has
suffered, is suffering, rather in apprehension than in fact, rather
because so many of our ships are timidly keeping to their home ports
than because American ships have been sunk.
Two American vessels have been sunk, the _Housatonic_ and the _Lyman M.
Law_. The case of the _Housatonic,_ which was carrying food-stuffs
consigned to a London firm, was essentially like the case of the _Fry_,
in which, it will be recalled, the German Government admitted its
liability for damages, and the lives of the crew, as in the case of the
_Fry_, were safeguarded with reasonable care. The case of the _Law_,
which was carrying lemon-box staves to Palermo, disclosed a ruthlessness
of method which deserves grave condemnation, but was accompanied by no
circumstances which might not have been expected at any time in
connection with the use of the submarine against merchantmen as the
German Government has used it.
In sum, therefore, the situation we find ourselves in with regard to the
actual conduct of the German submarine warfare against commerce and its
effects upon our own ships and people is substantially the same that it
was when I addressed you on the third of February, except for the tying
up of our shipping in our own ports because of the unwillingness of our
shipowners to risk their vessels at sea without insurance or adequate
protection, and the very serious congestion of our commerce which has
resulted, a congestion which is growing rapidly more and more serious
every day.
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