SHIPS WANTED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 304, 23 December 1940, Page 7

SHIPS WANTED.

British Minister's Appeal To America. SEA CRISIS REVIEWED. LOXDOX, Dec 22. If sinkings of s-hipe continued at tlie present rale without new construction. it would not be possible for liritain indefinitely to niaiutain the war effort on the present tea Jo. said the Minister of Shipping, Mr. 11. 11. Cross, in a speech to American journalists. Mr. Cross said the war nevt year would bo a s-ea war, and the real struggle would be to maintain our communications and confine tbe enemy t<« bis ports. "There is a certain number of enemy ships in the United .States," Mr. Cross said, "and I naturally have a covetous eyo H]>on th<»s.e vet-r-els." Xext year, Mr. Cro*s said, would be a. mo>t difficult period. Britain was building as much a-s possible, but it was ho}ied that the United Stsios would help in the coming year. Britain was buying old -American ships, but the supply of these was nearly exhausted. New vese-c-ls a]*n had been ordered, and perhaps the United Stales could spare tome from the existing ordinary service s.

British shipping ]os»es had trebled s-inee June. Hritaiu nH»re dtetroyere, and nsurt alto rejilac-e oth«r warthijtr, in order tu overcome the of submarine^

i "We thall know how to master ll.e J submarine if we th£ equipment," declared Mr. "but nevertlaclefrfc. • we tJuali require an enormous amount of new oODfctrtirtinn of merchant tonnage. Only the United States can *'i]>]>ly iLinew construction, and therefore I hope 'M ill embark <ju a fchiphuildin? ]m>praTiuii« on a tnjrantic sr\-i]e : imilar 1" thai of the last Civen that, am] «l<o iht- Moady afirc'iifin of our rtrenjrtli. lli.ro i- not tii« elighteat doubt we shall nuiintJiin our war effort at full strength. <--]x-c-ial]y liming the crucial fclj-rjai: <.f VMZ." J A liiyh ofli.ial in Wa-hi on. *-..n. • ..11 tW jHui,,,-.!] i,, Hi-mnn- f..i Hiiii.iii iii!.- iiniii.il.ili-; ,1 n j in- : liiile.l M«tr- |H#ri-.. ~.ii.]: "V.,11 mi 1., 1 thi» af.jiii ? :ti. 11 aii'l li.ni-fi•- v» i I I,■• Iliadi- it it 1 ;in ),■■ rlniic 1 •_• ,|] , 1 ~.. iijii-ic-1 «.f nui ;.iili'-\ 1 1 .. ■.: 1 lit Kritaiii.* ,