MUST PAY PRICE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20114, 7 December 1939, Page 5

MUST PAY PRICE

CONTROL OF SEAS CHURCHILL’S REVIEW HEAVY U-BOAT LOSSES ALLIED TRADE CONTINUES COUNTER TO MINES (Elec. Tt'l. Copyright—United Press AsSii.) (British Official Wireless.) Reed. noon. RUGBY, Dec. fi. Reviewing the progress of the war at sea in a speech in the House of Commons, the First Lord of the Admiralty, Mr. Winston Churchill, said that the main attack of the enemy had been concentrated upon the Royal Navy and seaborne commerce. “We have always more than 2,000 ships at sea and between 100 and 150 move every day in and out of our harbours in the United Kingdom alone,” he said. “This immense traf-

fic must be maintained in the teeth of the constant Ll-boat attack, which never hesitates to break the conventions of civilised warfare to which Germany so recently subscribed

“The destruction of U-boats is proceeding normally and in accordance with the estimate I have given to the House of between two and four a week. In the last week, five certainly met their fate either from our flotillas or the co-operating air force.”

The U-boats, he added, had passed from using the gun to using the torpedo, and from summoning ships on the surface to sinking them at sight without warning or provision for the crew.

“The destruction of German Üboats is believed to be superior to Germany’s replacement rate. When I see the statement that Germany will possess 400 U-boats in 1940, I wonder if U-boat captains, crews, and submarines are being produced on the chain-belt system. If so, our rate of destruction will similarly expand.

“U-boat commanders sought to emulate the Scapa Flow exploit and penetrate our defended harbours. The graves of several U-boats now iie upon their approaches.

“The recklessness of magnetic mine warfare resulted in a retaliatory embargo on German exports. Neutrals need not be inconvenienced hereby if they avoid carrying tainted goods. German ships and German exports are already piling up on German quays and in warehouses, hampering the handling of incoming merchandise.

Armed Merchant Ships

“lii addition to our armed merchan cruisers,” he continued, “we have armed already more than 1,000 merchant ships for self-defensive purposes and the process is continuing with all speed possible. Before long we shall have 2,G00 so armed.

“The convoy scheme is now in full operation. Very few ships have been attacked in convoy, and Jess than one in 750 has been sunk.

"The magnetic mine deposited secretly by U-boats under cloak of darkness in the approaches to our harbours, or dropped by parachute, may perhaps be the dictator’s muchvaunted secret weapon. It certainly is a characteristic weapon and one that will be forever associated with his name. More than half our losses in the last, month have been due to the magnetic mine, but mbre than two-thirds of the total losses from them have fallen, not upon the belligerents, but upon neutrals. “The magnetic mine is neither new nor mysterious. Its secrets are known to' us and the preparation of countermeasures was already far advanced before the first magnetic mine was laid in British waters. “The price for sen control must be paid. It is often' heavy. We make i a rule to publish all losses of British warships by enemy action at the earliest moment possible and to inform relatives. There has been no exception to this rule.”