PROTECTION IN WARTIME

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20003, 31 July 1939, Page 5

PROTECTION IN WARTIME

PORT OF LONDON DOCKS VAST CONTROL SCHEME (British Oflicinl Wireless.) Reed. 9 a.m. RUGBY, July 29. A carefully prepared scheme cn control and protection for the Port of London in the event of war, has, it is confidently declared, put the port into a state in which, in all circumstances, its business will be carried on. The Port of London Authority has devoted special attention to the protection of .the men working in the docks system and has allocated .250,000 for the air raid protection of them. All vital points have been protected and over 3 A miles of trenches are available for refuge from blast and splinters. More than 30.000 workers are being safeguarded in the authom/’s own dock area, V/nne the owners or wharves and warehouses for 30 or 40 miles on each bank of the Thames, have arranged for similar protection for their own staffs.

Moorings have been placed for about 78 ships in the lower reaches of the Thames. Small craft organisations, with some 10,000 barges and tugs capable of handling 1,000,000 tons of cargo, have been organised into the pool, and, should any single dock system be put out of action, all these resources would be at the service of the port. Arrangements also have been made for evacuating essential foodstuffs and dangerous goods.