STRONGER MEDITERRANEAN FLEET

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21214, 10 September 1940, Page 4

STRONGER MEDITERRANEAN FLEET

Because the presence of the Navy never fails to give encouragement and confidence to the British people, the news that the Mediterranean Fleet has been reinforced substantially will be welcomed throughout the Empire. With the arrival of further powerful units the fleet undertook a complete sweeping of the Mediterranean from Gibraltar to the eastern extremity without encountering serious enemy opposition, in spite of the fact that Mussolini still claims command of the sea. The Italian fleet was sighted by aeroplanes, but it promptly illustrated the nature of its “ command ” by racing into the shelter of its bases.

Mr Churchill recently announced that activities on a larger scale could be expected soon in the Middle East. He was no more specific than that, but if will naturally be assumed that the strengthening of the Mediterranean forces is planned to take care of whatever situation is expected to develop. Whether the increased pressure comes from the British forces or the enemy, the support of the reinforced fleet will be equally valuable. The growing strength of the fleet must be specially depressing to Mussolini, whose domains are divided by a sea over which he has no hope of gaining control. And one side of those divided domains is dependent on the other for reinforcements and supplies.

In the meantime the Italian threat to both Greece and Egypt seems to have receded into the background, and it now looks as if the recent approaches were tests of the attitude of the two countries. Italy was met by an uncompromising stand in each instance and was not prepared to provoke an open breach. Italy, perhaps because she has no choice, is playing a waiting game and is probably impatient with Germany for failing to bring about the downfall of Britain and thus the lifting of the control of the Mediterranean from the Navy. Italy has so far had the easy end of the task, but with attention being increasingly focussed on the Mediterranean the southern portion of the Axis may not, in the near future, be so easy to keep up. The British fleet will not always be content with attempting to decoy the Italian ships into open water.