ALLIED VESSELS

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 36, 6 November 1942, Page 5

ALLIED VESSELS

Allocation To Axis By Vichy (British Official wifeless.) RUGBY, November 4. Thirty-flVe Allied merchant vessels in the Mediterranean have been allocated to Germany and Italy by the Vichy Government, 13 for Germany and the remainder for Italy, announces the Ministry of Economic .Warfare; According to the Ministry, this throws light on thq presefit difficulties of German transport which Eave had much to do with the lateness of the German offensive this year. . . The . tonhilgi) involved is about 1,200,000. Of Ute shijte .iavoiivd, Ita y gets four tankers.. So.fiib only tqtee ; of these ships have been actually stint, and tfye»e reached Xjencu. Thefi* shipji bM beeii fhizfeh iu French pbm tne downfall of Ftaiicfe, and iiteludti Danish, Dutch, Norwegian', and. Itussidn vessels. Three were under British charter. Informed quarters jtey, the ■were regarded by tite teitmiy fig reserves, to be Culled,.on ffi ah Cnlrtgency. Vichy has evidently given Llifein

up under heavy pressure. The total tonnage invotyed; it"is remarked, represents abotyt oiie-fifth of the tpimhge Gofinaiiy hAs lost slhcgjhe outbreak of the war till June last, niid it is thought probable that the Axis ships lost since June represent a tonnage foughly etliial to that they have qcqtilred by the new transaction. ... 'The Axis position ~iii the Mediterranean litis become, very serious, its they have lost about half their merthant tonnage there. 1 It ife clear, that I.with the new developments in Egypt, more Ships must be secured ,to supply Marshal Roftiinel with food and munitions.