BUILDING SHIPS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20119, 13 December 1939, Page 5

BUILDING SHIPS

BRITISH GAINS MARGIN OVER LOSS GERMAN ANXIETY BOAST TO ITALIANS DANUBE FLOTILLA (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (British Official Wireless.) Reed. 11 a.m. RUGBY, Dec. 12. It is stated that the enormous naval construction programme which has been greatly increased since the outbreak of the war more than compensates for the losses suffered by the British Navy. Nearly 1,000,000 tons of warships are now under construction and many important units are nearing completion, while the anti-submarine forces have already more than trebled since the war began. As was announced by the First Lord of the Admiralty, Mr. Winston Churchill, all losses suffered by enemy action are'announced at the earliest possible moment. These losses' to date are: H.M.S. Royal Oak, I-I.M.S. Courageous, the destroyers Gipsy and Branche, and one submarine, representing 55,649 tons displacement. In addition the armed merchant cruiser Rawalpindi and four small minesweepers, totalling 18,369 tons gross, have been lost. Significant Nazi Broadcast There is evidence of growing German anxiety in view of the situation resulting from these facts and it is significant that, in a recent broadcast to Italy, the German claim that her navy had been strongly reinforced was supported by a statement that the Danube flotilla had been incorporated. This consists of two river patrol vessels and a few motor launches designed solely for river work. British merchant shipping losses due to enemy action since the war began totalled 82 ships at the .end of November with,a tonnage of just under 300,000. The losses were highest in September and declined in October when offensive measures against the U-boats and defensive measures for | convoys came into operation. There i was a further decline in November when the losses represented only onethird of those in September and despite the fact that intensive German minelaying began in mid-November. As already reported the merchant shipping sunk in home waters during the period from December 3 to December 9 totalled 23,432 tons, which, with the Doric Star sunk in the South Atlantic on December 3, make the week's total losses 34,518 tons.