LINER BREMEN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 November 1939, Page 3

LINER BREMEN

REPORTED SALE TO SOVIET UNLIKELY TO BE RECOGNISED BY BRITAIN. NEGOTIATIONS TN PROGRESS By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright LONDON. November 19. Although the German liner Bremen was reported last week to have left Murmansk in an endeavour to reach a German port, it appears now that she is still in harbour, and, according to reports reaching Copenhagen, she has transferred to Russian ownerhip. The “News Chronicle" states that the transfer of the Bremen is part of the barter agreement between Russia and Germany. The ship changed hands on November 7, the anniversary of the Russian revolution. It is understood that Russia plans a regular service between Murmansk and New York. A high British authority recently stated that Britain was unlikely to recognise the sale of Nazi ships to neutrals. Negotiations between Russia and Britain are reported to be progressing on the latter’s attitude if the Bremen leaves territorial waters. PROBLEM FOR GERMANY. A British Official Wireless message from Rugby states that many units of Germany's mercantile fleet are sheltering in neutral ports and becoming an embarrassment because of the drain on her scanty supply of foreign currency. Germany, by selling these vessels, might for a few days become the world's greatest “ship supplier." Germany's claim that she has replaced Great Britain as the greatest shipbuilding nation cannot be substantiated. Her building resources already have been severely handicapped by shortage of labour and raw materials and urgent Admiralty demands in an endeavour to make up the unexpected-. ly heavy U-boat losses. In the face of delayed delivery, indifferent material and the German method of making war on neutral shipping. it is doubtful whether neutrals will be inclined to place orders. On the other hand, more than 150 merchant ships are now being built in the United Kingdom, and new keels will be laid as soon as the slips become vacant. Every British shipyard] is working at full capacity and most] of the work is not for the Admiralty.! BRITISH TONNAGE INCREASE. ' In the week ended November 1.2 the ' British mercantile marine showed a; substantial increase in strength. This amounted to no less than 24,000 tons, after the deduction of losses, this increase being brought, about by the completion of three new ships, two I captures, and a conversion. The continuing increase in British merchant tonnage available provides an answer to German claims that the U-boat campaign is having a serious effect upon British maritime trade and that the British contraband control system is having an adverse effect in making less tonnage available. In spite of German assertions that the contraband control system is tightening and is imposing greater inconveniences and delays on neutral shipping the facts show that the British prediction of smaller delays is already being fulfilled. On Thursday more than twice as many ships as arrived were cleared from the two major contraband control stations, while of more than 30 clearances at one port only seven ships were delayed one day and eight left the same day as they arrived.