BRITAIN’S POWER.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 60, Issue 252, 1 August 1940, Page 5

BRITAIN’S POWER.

FREEDOM ON THE OCEANS.

MEN AND MATERIALS MOVED.

(Received This Day, 10.40 a.m.) ' LONDON, July 31

The Minister for Shipping (Mr R. H. Cross) broadcasting to the Empire spoke of the vital importance to Britain of her sea power and shipping. Nearly all the materials essential for Britain’s war effort ca’me from overseas. Though these materials could no longer be fetched from Scandinavia, the Baltic, the Low Countries or 'France, it ■was possible to get them from the Dominions and Yhe Colonies , and, from Nor£h and South. America. Referring to the. movement of Dominion and Colonial troops from and to all corners of the Empire, Mr Cross said that the movement had taken place of “Canadian troops from Canada to Britain, Iceland and the West Indies, Newfoundland men to Britain for the Army, Navy and for log-cutting, Australian and New Zealand troops to the Middle JJast and .to Britain, South Africans to East Africa and Egypt, Indian troops to East Africa, Egypt and' Britain, Gold Coast and Nigerian troops to East Africa, and Palestinian and Cypriot troops to France and Britain.;

Moreover, troops from this country •have moved to Bermuda, Jamaica, Iceland, St. Helena, India, Ceylon, Singapore, Hong Kong, Egypt, East Africa, Mauritius, Malta, Gibraltar, Cyprus, Palestine, Aden,- the Gold Coast, Sierra Jsone and Nigeria.” • In these movements many types of passenger ships have been usM and in all these, operations not one ship or life has been lost through enemy action.