TANKS FOR RUSSIA

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 4, Issue 164, 6 October 1941, Page 3

TANKS FOR RUSSIA

TRANSPORT "BOTTLENECK"

The supply of tanks to Russia, as Mr E. A. Montague pointed ollt in lxis 8.8. G. commentary the other day, is not merely a matter of production; transport is the key. He summarised this matter by mentioning the main distances involved, with the intention of discouraging exaggerated ideas about the speed with -which supplies can reach Rus-

Tliese distances, to Moscow, via Murmansk are: From London, 3500 miles; from New York, 5800 miles; both these routes traverse a long stretch of hostile coastline, and the Murmansk railway is. not safe against interruption. Via the Persion Gulf, from London, 15,100 miles: from New York, 15,300 miles; from San Francisco, 10,200 miles. Via Vladivcstock, from York, 16,400 miles; from San Francisco, 12,200 tniles. When these distances have to be traversed wholly or partially by convoys which can only travel at moderate speed, the time-lag between factory production and deliver}' in the battle area will obviously be long, though once delivery begins it will be limited only by the rate of production or the transport capacity.