WARFARE AT SEA

Opotiki News, Volume II, Issue 253, 1 November 1939, Page 4

WARFARE AT SEA

TOLL OF WEEK NAZI EXAGGERATION JIEA RTHNIN G PEOPLE INTENSIFIED ATTACKS BIUTi SH M ERCHAXTMEN RUGBY, Oct. 30. Authcrativo estimates place last week’s British merchant shipping losses at 21,000 tons. The enemy shipping captured l totalled some 19,500 tons. in view of the fact that British ships sail from every part of the world and ships of the Royal Navy arc incessantly patrolling the trade routes, naval circles in London regard these figures a.s highly satisfactory. T 1 lu British losses suffered are still under one per cent of the total incoming tonnage.

During'October to date Britain lost about (jo.ooo tons compared with 156,000 tons in September. The losses in these liist two months of the war roughly equal the losses of one week in April, 1917. The German claims regarding successes at sea. grow wilder and wilder. Besides unjustifiably claiming the sinking of numerous British warships, they claim to have sunk 475,000 tons of shipping since the outbreak of the war. liven if this includes all the neutral shipping sunk, together with the Courageous and the Jtoyal Oak, this figure clearly is n gross exaggeration. Campaign of Misrepresentation

It was considered; by London naval autlioi ities that tlioGerman campaign of misroprcsontnticn regarding the* sinking of British warships lias been instituted for two possible reasons. First, for homo consumption to cnliearten the people, from whom the true facts can > ho Avithhekl almost imlel'inately, and secondly, in order to rouse public opinion in Britain to a degree* of indignation against Gorman propaganda that will call forth from the High Command some spectnotulav but rash counter-move rffitside of the sphere of correct strategy. A Berlin message states that a German broadcast in Knglish to-day declared that Britian Uadi now hecemo a field of war. “This is only fair as it is Britain’s war,” he added. ‘‘.How long will the navy he in a position to sustain the losses?”