BRITAIN UNDISMAT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 July 1940, Page 5

BRITAIN UNDISMAT

FACING PROSPECT OF LONG AND HARD WAR Speech by Mr Winston Churchill ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE NAVY PRAISED FAITH IN ULTIMATE REHABILITATION OF FRANCE In a broadcast address, transmitted by Daventry, the British Prime Minister, Mr Winston Churchill, said that during the past fortnight the British Navy, besides blockading what was leit 01 the German fleet and chasing the Italian fleet, had had nnpoSbC on it the sad duty of putting definitely out of action 101 1 duration of the war the capital ships of the French -Navy, these ships had fallen into enemy hands, they won a threatened the safety of Great Britain and the Unite o Therefore, Britain had no choice but to act the way sie i . That painful task, said Mr Churchill, was now completed. The uncompleted French battleship, Jean Bart, still rested m a Moroccan port, and the rest of the French fleet was not m a condition or cf a character to affect the British preponderance of naval power. As long as French warships made no attempt to reach a port controlled by Germany or Italy, Britain would not molest them in any way. That melancholy phase in their relations with France had come to an end, so far as Bn a Proceeding to refer to the fact that that day, JulyJA was dedicated to the National Festival of France, Mr Churchill said he proclaimed his faith that some of them would live to see a July 14 when France would once again rejoice m greatness and glory and stand firm as the champion of freedom and the rights of man. Although Britain had to ensure that the weapon that had fallen from France’s hands did not come into the hands of the enemy, she did not bear France any malice. The association of interests between Britain and France remained and Britain was ready to discharge such offices of goodwill to the French Government as might be possible. The war would be long- and hard, Mr Churchill continued, and no one could tell where it would spread. Britain was ready to defend her territory against the invasion with which it was threatened. They were fighting by themselves,_ alone, but they were not fighting for themselves, alone. Britain waited undismayed for the impending assault. Be the struggle sharp or long, or both, they would seek no terms and tolerate no parley. They might show mercy, but would ask for none. Any plan for the invasion of Britain which Hitler might have made two months ago would have to be recast in order to meet Britain s land position. Britain, said Mr Churchill, would defend every village, town and city. If London were fought street by street, it could easily devour a whole hostile army and they would rather see London laid in ruins and ashes than that it should be shamefully and abjectly enslaved. After ten months of the submarine campaign, Britain’s food reserves were higher than they had ever been. There was a substantially larger tonnage under the British flag and a larger number of foreign ships were under British control.