EARLY CHECK

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20114, 7 December 1939, Page 6

EARLY CHECK

GAIN BY ALLIES NAZI SEA WAR EFFECTIVE” COUNTERS LOSSES STILL LIKELY CHURCHILL'S WARNING VIEWS IN COMMONS (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (British Official Wireless.) Reed. 1.45 p.m. RUGBY. Dec. G. During his speech in the House of Commons to-day, the First Lore’ of the Admiralty, Mr. Winston Churchill, referred to the effect of the German campaign during the first three months of the war against Allied and neutral merchant shipping. Mr. Churchill said Hint Britain began the war with 21,000.000 tons of merchant shipping. From this total Britain lost during the months in i which the vessels had been subject to every form of attack, both fair and foul, 340.000 tons. The net loss, after taking account of the transfer of ships from foreign flags, enemy prizes and newly-built vessels, amounted only to 00,000 tons. During November nearly 250,000 tons of shipping entered or cleared from British harbours for every 1000 tons lost—a proportion of 250 to one. At the same lime, the British losses in warships, always necessarily of a higher rate, had been only half the losses suffered in the first three months of the war of 1914. Mr. Churchill stated earlier that the two German pocket battleships, and certainly one other cruiser, had been let loose, in the North and South Atlantic. or near Madagascar in the Indian Ocean. He said that very great reinforcement of British hunting craft in home water, already tripled since the beginning of the war would come into service in 1940. • Methods of Detection The methods of detection were increasingly being proved and as the margin in hunting craft increased the ordeal to which the U-boat was subject would become ever more severe. In consequence of the Allied defences and the defence of merchant ships, the U-boats had found it easier to attack neutral shipping than vessels of Britain and France. The losses of British merchant ships in October were half what they were in September and in November they were only two-thirds of what they were in October. Neutrals lost half as much again in tiie second month as they did in the first and double as much in the third month as they did in the second. In fact, in the third month the neutral losses by mines had been twice as great as the British losses and tiie neutral losses of all kinds had been one-third greater than the belligerent losses.

Neutrals Victims

“It is indeed a strange kind of warfare for the German <navy to engage in,” said Mr. Churchill. "When driven off the shipping of their declared enemy, they console themselves by running amok among shipping of neutral nations. This fact should encourage neutrals to charter their ships to Great Britain for the duration of the war, when they can be sure of making larger profits than they ever made in peace and have a complete guarantee against loss.”

Mr. Churchill said that the price of control of the sea must be paid often heavily. For it. Britain lost H.M.S. Courageous, the Royal Oak and two destroyers. A submarine had been blown up by accident. These craft totalled 50,000 tons. Britain also lost the armed merchant cruiser Rawalpindi. Britain at present was building nearly 1,000.000 tons of warships of all classes, much at an advanced stage.

Under Control

‘it is my sure belief that we have got the German sea warfare under control, but wars are full of ugly and unpleasant surprises,” said Mr. Churchill. “We must expect a steady toll of losses.

"I truist that good tidings when they come will stimulate us to greater efforts when fierce, obstinate conflict rises to full height. “The watchword for each and all, as for the Royal Navy should be: Carry on. Dread nought.” All speakers in the ensuing debate paid a tribute to Mr. Churchill's cautious and comprehensive statement. They expressed general anxiety that German raiders were still roaming the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. »

Watch for Supply Craft

The Liberal leader, Sir Archibald Sinclair, urged that a more strict watch should be kept to prevent German ships escaping from neutral harbours and carrying supplies to the raiders. He added that it might be right tio conceal the sinking of one of these raider's because the information might be useful to the enemy. Sir Archibald Sinclair also questioned the delay in the release of details of naval losses.

!Mt. Churchill intervened to deny that now's of losses wds withheld once the relatives had been informed. 'Commander Sir Archibald SouWoy fCom, Ejpsorn) said that information of stop's being taken to destroy the German raiders would be appreciated as the public was alarmed at the continued existence of these craft.

Mr. Churchill replied that this was hardly the time to disclose the measures.