CONVOY SYSTEM

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20056, 30 September 1939, Page 6

CONVOY SYSTEM

EARLY OPERATION

PROTECTION OF SHIPPING

BENEFIT OF EXPERIENCE

LULL IN U-BOAT WAR

(Elec. Tu). Copyright—United Press Assn.)

(British Official Wireless.)

Reed. 2 pm. RUGBY, Sept. 29. The speed with which, the navy has acted in instituting the convoy system can be appreciated from facts made public to-day. By September 7 —only four days after the outbreak of the war—outward convoys were already running. The arrangement of convoys tor homecoming merchantmen naturally took somewhat longer, but the first convoy was operating in the homeward direction a week later. Alter just under a month of war, Britain has in operation a convoy system which compares in extent very favourably with the ultimate effort achieved in 1918 and the navy made full use of the experience gained during the last war. There has certainly been a lull in the U-boat attacks on British shipmng. This may be due to a “changeover” which must be taking place between the first batch of German submarines which were on trade routes at the outbreak of war and the reliefs which are likely to take their place. During the lull, the convoy system is being improved, and will soon get fully into' its stride. It will protect merchantmen not only from U-boats, but against air attack or raids of any armed ships Germany might get on the high seas The navy showed foresight in other directions by providing before hostilities started defence courses for officers and men of the merchant navy, and by -stiffening a number of merchant ships- so that eventually they might have gun protection of their own. The navy already has attained a position comparable to the one it found itself in - nearly three years after the start of the last war.