WORK OF THE NAVY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 September 1939, Page 6

WORK OF THE NAVY

SHIPS ACTIVE IN ALL SEAS PURSUIT OF SUBMARINE RAIDERS. IMPORTANCE OF CONVOY SYSTEM. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.42 a.m.) RUGBY, September 10. Though the Admiralty has announced no definite results of countermeasures against U boats beyond a possible success against one submarine minelayer, the hunting flotillas of British destroyers and light craft are still active. During the first week of the war, his Majesty’s ships of all types have been at sea all over the world in their task of maintaining the sea communications of the Empire. They have been particularly busy in the waters round the British Isles, and in the Atlantic. While we have incurred the loss of various merchant ships through submarine operations, many more enemy merchantmen have been captui'ed or sunk, or driven to take refuge in neutral harbours in many parts of the world. The convoy system, which the Admiralty announced long before the war as one of our essential defence measures, will soon be in operation, with the result that U boat sinkings will tend to decrease. It must be realised, however, that the convoy system cannot be put into operation immediately on the outbreak of war. With ships scattered all over the face of the globe it takes some time for the system to become fully effective. There has been intense activity on the part of smaller craft, particularly destroyers, escort' vessels and patrol craft.