BRITAIN'S FIGHTING POWER

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 244, 2 December 1940, Page 3

BRITAIN'S FIGHTING POWER

Dr Goebbels says lie docs not know the day on which Germany will be able to announce the defeat of Great Britain. Colonel Frederick Palmer, military expert of the New York Times, envisages a war possibly as long as. the Great War. Factors in Britain's favour, he says, are 1„500,000 pounds of smokeless powder the United Stales is supplying each month; with the now plants, financed by Britain and now in operalion, the United States monthly total of T.N.T. for Britain is 2,500,000 pounds; Britain's purchasing power, abroad, according to United States financial experts, is more than £3, 000,000,000.

The British Empire also mines throe-quarters oi' the world's production of gold- Britain's command of the sea for keeping open vita} trade routes is unquestioned and unchallenged. Sailing the seven seas for Britain arc ships aggregating more than 20,000,000 tons.

German air losses, says Colonel Palmer, have been unexpectedly heavy over Britain, and British accounts of these losses may be regarded as reliable.

THE MOSQUITO FLEETS Britain/ Germany and Italy have little boats comprising AA v hat aro described as "mosquito fleets" for quick attacks and quick getaways. The motor torpedo boats the Germans haA r e been using against British shipping since the German seizure of the French Channel ports are one of the most spectacular developments of naval warfare, but arc not new Aveapons. Motor torpedo boats —-then usually under 50 feet in length— AA'cre used in the last war. The modern motor torpedo boat is a small petrol-engined or Dieselpowered craft Avitll high speed (betAveen 30 and 50> knots), IoAA r freeboard and visibility, and Avith a j small crew. Its armament generally consists of two torpedo tubes, usually 18 to 20 inches in diameter. It usually carries some depth charges to be used against submarines. It mounts small guns and machine guns. GHOST HAD ENOUGH Best story of the Aveek after the' other night's record bombing of Lon don:— A Home Guard at a well-known cemetery AA*as horrified as a ghost arose carrying a tombstone. "Hev, Avhat's the big idea?" demanded the Home Guard. "I'm going to a shelter," said the ghost,, "taking my identity card Avith me."

LUXURY SHELTERS When the piercing shrieks of the "howling banshees," as Mr Churchill describes London's air raid sirens first disturbed the aristocratic calm of Knig'htsbridge, dowagers and debutantes rushed to thedr air raid shelters and sat bolt upright on wooden benches. To-day ail is changed. Knightsbridge air raid shelters now are more like the plago of Juan-lesw Pins, that once gay seaside resort ol' the South of France. There are coloured deck chairs, gay screens and inflated mattresses. There are bridge parties and Vic Oliver, son-in-IaAV of the Prime Minister, rethe gloom Avith Avisecracks as lie at bridge. There are even chairs for society AAomein to ha\ r e their hair Avashed and Avavcd, and beauty experts attend to the manicure requirements of clients Avhilc enemj' bombers scout around oA r erhead. They eA r en a dance band to play for them to Avhile away tedious hours.