THE NAVY'S GREAT TASK

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 63, 18 September 1939, Page 5

THE NAVY'S GREAT TASK

KEEPING SEAS SAFE FOR BRITISH COMMERCE COMBATING SUBMARINE MENACE During a week of war more has been heard of operations on, land and ih ; the air than at sea, but there is much to show that'the British Navv h&s yet quiefty,' grasped the decisive: xale it exercised, ia the Great War. This in short, is to keep the seas free for British m&i'itime commerce to deny, to thp utmost, access to the sea to enemy craft. The loss of the Athenia at the very outset and of several merchant ships since by submarine attack indicates the main danger at the moment. Germany has a number of sea-going submersible craft capable of long voyages away from their home bases, and several of these at least must be at large on the high seas, for casualties to British ships, though few in number, are reported over a wide area off European coasts and in the Atlantic. One of the Navy's first tasks will be to rid the sea of the submarine menace. The Prime Minister (Mr Chamberlain) dealt with this ; aspect of the war in the course of his statement to the HouSe of Commons when, referring to reported attacks on British shipping, he said; "On Q,ur side, the Admiralty have taken, immediate coun-ter-measures. British destroyers and other anti-submarine craft have been very active, and large reinforcements of anti-submarine' and escort vessels are rapidly becoming available. Steps are being taken to establish a convoy system at the earliest possible moment . . . This method of protection takes time, but the House can, be satisfied that it is being applied with the utmost possible speed and vigour."'