MUST PAY TWICE

Opotiki News, Volume II, Issue 268, 8 December 1939, Page 3

MUST PAY TWICE

CONTROL OF SEAS GUUROHiLL’S REVIEW HEAVY U-BOAT LOSSES ALLIED TRADE CONTINUES COUNTER, TO AIINES British Official Wireless. , RUGBY, Dec. 0. Reviewing tho progress of the war at sea in a speech in the House of Commons, the First Lord of tho Admiralty, Mr, Winston Churchill, said that the majn attack of the enemy had, hoe if concentrated .upon the Royal Navy and seaborne commerce,. “Wo have always more than. 2,000 ships at sea and between 100 and ICO move every day in and out of our harbours in tho United Kingdom alone,” he said. “This immense traffic must be maintained in, tho teeth of the constant. U-boat attack, .which never hesitates to break the Conventions of civilised warfare to which 'Germany so recently subscribed. “Tho destruction of U-boats is proceeding normally and 'in accordance with the estimate l have given to tho House of between tw<> and lour ft week, la the last week, live certainly met their fate either from our flotillas or the co-operating air force.” The U-boat's, be added, bad 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 UImats is behoved to bo superior to Germany’s replacement rate. When I. see the statement that Germany will possess ‘IOO U-boats in 1040, I wonder if U-boat captains, crews, and submarines arc being produced, on the chainbelt system. If so, our rate of destruction will similarly expand. “U-boat commanders sought to emulate the Sea pa Flow exploit and penetrate our defended harbours. The graves of. several U-boats now Jic upon their approaches. “The recklessness of magnetic mine warfare, resulted in a,, retaliatory embargo on German exports. Neutrals need not be inconvenienced hereby it they avoid carrying tainted goods. German ships and German exports aro already piling up on German quajs and in warehouses, hampering the handling of incoming merchandise. Armed Merchant Ships “In addition to our armed merchant cruisers,” ho continued, “>vo havt> armed already more than 1,000 merchant ships for sell-defensive purposes and the process is continuing with all speed- possible. .Beloro long we shall have 2,000 so armcdl. “The convoy scheme is now in full operation. Very few ships have been attacked in convoy, and less than tmo in 7do has been sunk. “The magnetic mine deposited secretly by U-boats under cloak of darkness in the approaches of our harbours, or dropped by parachute, maj perhaps be the dictator’s much-vaunt-ed secret weapon. it certainly is n characteristic weapon ami one that will be forever associated with his name. Alore than half our losses in tho last month have been duo to the magnetic mine, but more than twothirds of the total losses from them have fallen, not upon the belligerents, but upon neutrals. “’l’ho magnetic mine is neither now nor mysterious. Us secrets aro known to us and the prepearation of countermeasures was already tar advanced before the first magnetic mine was laid in British,'waters. ~ , “The price for sea control lie paid. It is ,of top,.heavy. Wq- make it n rule to publish all losses of British warships by enemy action at the oai liest moment possible and to inform relatives. There has been, no exception to this rule.”