SUPPLIES OF OIL

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20110, 2 December 1939, Page 5

SUPPLIES OF OIL

ALLIES' ADVANTAGE VALUE OF CO-ORDINATION COMMENT BY EXPERTS SHORTAGE IN GERMANY (Elet. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (British Official Wireless.) Reed 11 a.m. RUGBY, Dec. 1. Some of the advantages of AngloFrench economic co-ordination in respect to oil supplies are examined by expert writers in the press. By pooling transport, for example, it is pointed out that French requirements can be supplied from the Near 'and Middle East while Britain’s needs can .be met to a greater extent from sources in North and South America. This will result in the more rational employment of Atlantic tankers. In particular, the British forces in France will be able to draw supplies direct from eastern sources. Another important gain is thought to be in the matter of refining as the combination o.f the capacity of the two countries—France’s, which normally exceeds her own peace-time requirements and Britain’s smaller refining system—should give very'satisfactory results and go a long way to ensuring that the Allied demands for finished products are met. Again, the necessary sacrifices in civilian consumption can now 'be equitably shared by the populations of the two countries. 'Further, the improvement in the Allies’ position relative to oil supplies which will result, according to these authorities, including a writer in the Financial Times, from the recent agreement is all the more significant from reports that a shortage has made itself felt already in Germany. A suggestion appears in several neutral quarters that the comparative inactivity of the German .air force in the west is due to the heavy consumption of petrol supplies in the Polish campaign, and it is interesting to observe that this view is endorsed by the Washington correspondent of the New York Times, who said yesterday: “In the opinion of American naval military experts the oil situation, and especially the Reich’s reserve of fuel oil. is the most serious problem facing 'the Hitler Government to-day."