MIGHTY TASK

Wairarapa Times-Age, 30 June 1941, Page 6

MIGHTY TASK

CARRIED OUT BY NAVY WITH HELP OF R.A.F. MAINTENANCE OF VITAL i SUPPLIES. FIRST LORD ON SHIPPING POSITION. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day. 11.0 a.m.) RUGBY. June 29. The remarkable way in which the Navy, with the steadily-in-creasing 'help of the Coastal Command of the R.A.F., has maintained the volume of food and raw materials and increasing quantities of munitions from the Dominions and the United States, was emphasised by the First Lord of the Admiralty (Mr A. V. Alexander) in a speech at Sheerness.

“No one could possibly exaggerate the magnitude and gravity of the task which has confronted the Royal Navy since the double event in the middle of 1940 which resulted in the withdrawal of the French Fleet from the Allied forces and the acquisition of the Italian forces by the Axis," said Mr Alexander. "When this is coupled with the fact that Germany found herself possessed of bases for aircraft, surface raiders and U-boats, from the northernmost part of Norway to the Bay of Biscay, while Britain was left almost alone, it can better be understood how great has been the strain upon our sea forces in order to withstand .the most intense counter-blockade in our history, composed of such a variety of forms of attack upon our merchant shipping —mines, surface raiders. Üboats and. bombers from the air."

After stating that losses of merchant shipping had been “heavy and of very serious importance," Mr Alexander said that the maintenance of imports had been made possible, not only by the support of the Navy and the Coastal Command, but also by the extent to which losses had been replaced. “We have built in this country and finished a considerable quantity of new merchant tonnage," he said. “We have purchased another large quantity of tonnage from overseas. We have converted to our use a substantial amount of enemy tonnage captured, and have also chartered, some tonnage of a neutral character not previously employed m conveying goods to this country. It is | imperative, however, in spite of these, four important facts, to point out that] there is every reason why the maxi-; mum possible effort should be made to increase the production of merchant tonnage in this country, as well as to acquire the service of as much tonnage as can be provided from the new and expanding programme in the United States and other overseas building, and also to increase the output of repairs cf merchant shipping.” Mr Alexander condemned exaggerated statements about slackness on the pari of workers. “In fact.” he stated, “compared with (he output of ship-' building, naval and merchant, in 1915/16, the results achieved in the first 21 months of this war have been remarkable, bearing in mind that we have fare fewer shipyards available and little more than half the number of workers compared with 1914/18 in the shipyards. That, however, must not be allowed to obscure the fact that because of the balance of forces againstus the need is more urgent and we require the greatest possible effort in increasing the volume and speeding up the delivery of ships, guns, tanks and planes." The First Lord concluded by especially emphasising the necessity for money to be subscribed to the Government’s loan. For this to have the fullest possible effect in stabilisation the financial position, money loaned to the Government should represent genuine savings. “If,” he said, “our people can be 1 persuaded to refrain from unnecessary consumption, they will first of all ease the problem of imports; secondly, their personal expenditure will be less, and if the savings is invested in Government loans financing the war we shall avoid uncontrolled inflation, and at the same time create a reserve for each member of the investing public for his or her use after the war.”