CONTRABAND CARGOES

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20049, 22 September 1939, Page 3

CONTRABAND CARGOES

SEIZURE BY BRITAIN NEUTRAL SHIPS NOT HELD METAL ORES DETAINED (British Official Wireless.) Reed. 9 a.m. RUGBY, Sept. 20. The Ministry of Information states that some misconception appears to exist regarding the question of the seizure of neutral ships intercepted by the British contraband control authorities.

The position is that normally only the cargoes of suspected contraband are seized, and that as soon as these have been unloaded, the ships carrying them are allowed to proceed. No neutral ship has been seized since the outbreak of hostilities, and it can be taken as certain that no ship would ever be seized which had loaded cargo before the war began.

Even ships which have loaded cargo since then would normally only be seized if there is evidence that they are being used with the knowledge of the owners for the carriage of contraband to the enemy. The total value of contraband consignments to Germany intercepted and detained by the British authorities during the week ended September 1C is estimated at rather over £500,000.

The total quantity of manganese ore intercepted since the outbreak of war now amounts to over 3000 tons. This represents about 7 per cent of the total German annual imports of this commodity, which is of great importance for the preparation of special steels.

In the case of molybdenum concentrates, the quantity intercepted represents an even more important proportion of Germany’s supply of an alloy and metal which is essential for the preparation of bullet-proof and other steels.