CLEARING THE SEAS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 65, Issue 181, 15 May 1945, Page 4

CLEARING THE SEAS.

SWEEPING OF ENEMY MINES. WORK FOR NEXT 18 MONTHS. (N.Z. Press Association —Copyright.) (Rec. 2.20 p.m.) LONDON, May 14. Clearing of mines in waters around the coasts of Europe will require about 18 months, which will he quicker than after the last war, despite the greater variety of mines to be swept, says the “Daily Telegraph’s” naval correspondent. The work was begun in the North Sea and English Channel areas after information had been received from the Germans, and work has been progressing in the Mediterranean since the downfall of Italy. The worst areas ip. Northern Europe will be the. southern part of the North Sea, the Baltic, the Skagerrak and The Belt. The safe passage •of British warships through the Skagerrak to Copenhagen was a notable feat of minesleeping, sweepers working ahead of the cruiser Birmingham and the escort clearing more than 50 mines, i The problem after the last, war was moored mines, but now all sorts of magnetic, acoustic and other forms of ground mines must be swept, in addition to the moored variety, and trawlers will not always be completely suitable. On the other hand we now posesss a great many specially-built minesweepers with specialised gear. A German minesweeper, on her maiden voyage, arrived in the Firth of Forth, carrying four German naval captains and three pilots who are handing over to the British authorities details of the naval dispositions, of minefields in the Skagei’rak and Kattegat.