GERMAN SUPPLIES

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20083, 1 November 1939, Page 9

GERMAN SUPPLIES

BLOCKADE BY BRITAIN

IMPORTS CUT OFF

IRON, RUBBER, PETROL

SMALL TEXTILE STOCKS

(Elec. Tel. Copyright-United Press Assn.)

(British Official Wireless.) Reed. 9 a.m. RUGBY, Oct. 31

1 The effect on Germany of the British blockade is reflected in the fact that in 1937 Germany imported 118,000,000 Reichsmarks worth of rubber and now her entire supply has been cut off. The buna substitute covers only about onefifth of the peace-time consumption. The blockade has also cut oil onethird of Germany's iron ore imports. Since the German exports of textiles have been jut off, home supplies would have increased by -about onethird of the total production, and Germany’s inability now to supply textiles must be due therefore to lack of raw material, and suggests that the surplus stocks were limited at the outbreak of war. Potential supplies from Russia are relatively inaccesiblc and Germany's war-time requirements in cotton equal above two and a half times the expected maximum Soviet output for 1942.

Shortage of Fish

Other details of the effect of the blockade are probably a shortage of fish in Germany owing to the fact that the North Sea catch is 300,000 tons per annum against 30.000 in the Baltic. German unemployment has jumped from a few thousand to more than 2,000,000, according to a neutral observer, partly due to the 'closing of textile and shoe factories owing to lack of raw materials.

A great shortage of petrol is indicated by the order of the German Ministry of Transport for the conversion to the use of gaseous fuels by all commercial vehicles which are still allowed to operate.

SHORTAGE OF RUBBER

(British Official Wireless.) Reed. 3 p.m. RUGBY, Oct. 30. Interesting evidence of tire effect of the British blockade on Germany’s e'Conomy--which according to official information is preventing 99 per cent of German ships reaching German ports —comes from an authoritative source in Yugoslavia. It is learned that Germany is unable to supply textiles of any kind, tin plates or rubber manufactures. The shortage of rubber is illustrated by the fact that 188 lorries delivered to the Yugoslavia Army arrived without tyres.