WAR AT SEA

Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 January 1940, Page 5

WAR AT SEA

ALLIES’ WIDE MARGIN - OF ADVANTAGE NAVAL AND TONNAGE LOSSES. COMPARISON WITH LAST WAR. LONDON, Janaury 13. All official statement regarding 1 lie war at sea says Ilial despite Hie enemy’s utmost use of mines and submarines since I lie mil break of 1 lie wa r I lie Bril isli a verage monthly tonnage loss has been only two-1 hi rds of Hie a verage in 1 he lasi war. and one-third of 1 hat of 1 !)1 7. which was Ihe worst, year. The naval losses have been barely half those of the first four months of the last war. For every 1000 tons of shipping sunk 110,00(1 tons have arrived safely. To December 30 the contraband control had seized 538,000 tons, which was 212.000 tons over the total lost in the same period.

Since the outbreak of the war Britain had lost one battleship, sunk; one battleship, damaged; one aircraft-car-rier, sunk; one 8-inch gun cruiser, damaged; one 6-inch gun cruiser, damaged; three destroyers, sunk, one of which was in a collision; and one submarine lost accidentally. On the other hand, Germany’s losses include one pocket-battleship, sunk; one 8-inch cruiser, damaged, possibly sunk; one 6-inch gun cruiser, sunk; one 6-inch gun cruiser, damaged, possibly sunk; also a large number of submarine losses.’

It was emphasised that these losses did not materially affect the margin of Allied naval strength, which had gained as a result of substantial additions.

Tiie British naval losses, including auxiliaries, in the first four months of the last war were 29 ships of 143,000 tons, compared with 18 ships of 78,000 tons from Setpember 3 to January 3. Moreover, there were at present nearly a million tons of warships being built in Britain, while Germany was finding it most difficult to reach the U-boat construction rate of 1917, which was 87 thoughout the year. It is expected that the British naval personnel will be expanded by at least. 50,000 in 1940. Applications for naval service greatly exceed the requirements. FRENCH CO-OPERATION. Also in the first four months the British merchant ship losses have been 117 ships, totalling 415,998 tons. The rate, however, is declining, and it is 30 per cent lower than the rate during the whole of the last war, and 65 per cent lower than in 1917.

The close co-operation of the British and French navies is likely to be one of the .decisive factors. The composition of the French Navy is particularly suited for hunting, patrolling and convoying, for which the 32 light cruisers are most valuable. There is reason to believe that the French naval contribution is being increased further.

A Paris message states that the French Minister of Marine. IVI Cesar Campinchi, reviewing the Allies naval achievements since the outbreak of tiie war, recalled that they had ensured the freedom of Allied commerce and abolished the German seaborne trade except in tiie Baltic. They had shut up 4(10 ships in neutral ports.

The French Navy had sunk 10 Üboats, examined 239 vessels and intercepted G 22.000 tons of German-bound merchandise.

A whole army had arrived from the French colonies without losing one man, and the arms, equipment and supplies had been safely landed. A total of 1300 Allied ships and 200 convoys escorted by French light forces had crossed the seas. GERMAN SCUTTLING. Twenty German ships of a tonnage of 105,000 had been captured and 18 with a tonnage of 123.000 had scuttled themselves.

French submarines had broken no international law. while 43 breaches had been attrilubed to Germany’s navy.

Allied battleships had gone one and a half times round the world seeking pirates. French cruisers had been at sea for over 100 days and the Allies together had sunk 30 ’ U-boats. No French warship had been damaged.

The French mercantile marine had lost ll ships totalling 55,711 tons, of which submarines sank seven totalling 46,853 tons, representing two per cent of the fleet in September. The measures against U-boats were proving effective, and the AJlied tonnage sunk, had decreased from 137,084 tons in September to 33,714 tons in December. The monthly average of Allied and neutral shipping submarined in 1939 was 184.000 tons compared with 309,000 tons in 1917-18.

The mine danger was also being met. Mines sank 114.981 tons in November and only 95.177 in December. France’s shipyards were actively engaged in building 126 warships.