TIN FOR TIMOSHENKO

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 4, Issue 200, 7 January 1942, Page 6

TIN FOR TIMOSHENKO

BEING RUSHED TO THE SOVIET FROM BRITISH MALAYA

Russia's war factories are now getting huge consignments of tin from British Malaya.

There is a dramatic leap in the amount shipped. As recently as 1939, less than one ton a year of it went to the Soviet Union, and up to the end of June exports continued to be negligible. Suddenly, in July, they shot up in value to nearly £1,000,000 mostly for tin and rubber. Since then cargoes are being more than maintained. Stalin is using the tin to make bearings for tanks, aeroplanes and army lorries: for wireless telephone, and radio-locator equipment; for his fire protection systems and for food

canning

Russia has no tin of her OAVn, nor has the United States, and in a normal year they use betAveen them about 160,000 tons of it, or 80 per cent of the world production. Both countries are therefore dependent on regular imports of good quality ingot tin and the British Empire and her Allies have a A'irtual monopoly of it; Avhereas the Axis supply Is particularly short of both in their oavii and in occupied territories. The United States Avas Malaya's biggest customer in July, Avitli total Imports of £6,000,000. Canada came next Avith £2,300,000. The Soviet Union Avas third.

Tin supplies came largely from the great tin smelters at Singapore and Pen an g in the Straits Settlements and from the islands of Banka and Billiton in the Netherlands Indies an indication of the importance o(' these Allied territories apart from their strategic value.