Determined Effort To Smash Crisis

Chronicle (Levin), 17 February 1947, Page 5

Determined Effort To Smash Crisis

Press Assn.

POSITION STILL SERIOUS

By Telegraph

-Copyiighl

Received Sunday, 7.0 p.m. LOiNDON, i: eb. 14. Fifty ships ladeti with coal have sailed up the Thames since vesteniuy and are unloading as quickly as possn.te. Al any ships by this morning had lert for further supplies from Jiorthern ports. The emergency arrangements at nondon docks to secure the swift tuni around of ships, may have smasiied all previous time reeords. The gales have dfopped and colliers round tlie British ooksts are steaming at top speed in an all-out effort to smash the crisis. Most of the colliers' supplies are going to power stations although some are going to big industrial conc.erns. Hundreds of rail Wtiy coal vvagons snowbound in the Midlands and north for a week, have begun to move soutlivvard. The Fuel Ministry has ordered everv I.on doti coal merchant to tuni round the wagons vvithin 24 hours. Many more mainline passenger trains have been cancelled to allow an uniiiterrupted rlow of coal. The Ministery of Fuel stated that 36,300 tons of coal were saved through uit Kngland yesterday, bringing the week's total saving lo 112,300 tons. 'Although the position is still very serious and coal stocks are far below safety level, a Jittle more ground has been gained. The national effort to iceep tlie power stations going is bringing the first definite result." The Evening Standard says JMr. Attlee's "crisis general staff" is e.xpected tonight to decide on a plan for restricting gas supplies. Coal reserves in

gas works are very low. The average supnly over the whole oountrv is about twelve davs. Temperatures, although generally liigher today than yesterda.v, are still below freezing point in most purts of Britairi. The Royal Air Force cancelled operations to drop food supplies to shi vering people isolated in Stafford-] shire villages as it is understood road j communication is now open. A few i hours after the Ilalifax bomber crash- i ed yesterda.v in an attempt to parachute supplies to the vi.uige of Butter- j ton, the first tractor loaded with food I got through to the neighbouring village of Longuore, from Buxton which I is si.x miles away. j Tlie Air Ministry reiterated that the j cold spell would continue although tlie temperature rtiay rise temporarily above freezing point in eoastal areas. * The British United Press Berlin correspondent says fourteen more deatlis I from. cold are reported in tlie last 3(1 j hours, bringing the winter's total toj 134. Otto Ostrowski, Lord .Mavor of , Berlin, told the Municipal Assembly: "\VTe cannot master the sitmition anv| longer. We niust ask ihe Allies for' relief.