DANUBE BLOCKED BY ICE

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 22909, 4 January 1940, Page 7

DANUBE BLOCKED BY ICE

GOODS FOR GERMANYDELAYED

RUMANIAN OIL AND CEREALS (tTHITED PRIS3 ASSOCIATION—COPTBIOHT.) (Received January 3, 7.5 p.m.) LONDON, January 2. Because the river Danube is blocked by io the Rumanian Government has decided to suspend permits to navigato it. One effect of this will be to delay the transit of goods from Rumania to Germany. The Ttussian occupation of Poland has greatly restricted "traffic from Bucharest and almost all Rumanian goods to Germany will have to go by rail through Hungary. A message from Bucharest says that the Government's suspension throughout the winter of permits for navigation of the ice-strewn Danube has handicapped German trade. Floes block the river from the Black Sea to the Jugoslav frontier. The Germans are worried by the interruption of traffic on the river, which is now the chief channel for Balkan exports to Germany, including 80 per cent.'of Rumanian oil exports and nearly . all Rumanian cereals. The single-track railway across Hungary is taking livestock, beans, maize, and secondary goods, since the Bucharest-Breslau line through Lwow is almost at a standstill following the Russian occupation of East Poland. Snowstorms and roaming packs of wolves, hinder traffic in western and northern Rumania. The Germans may use icebreakers and dynamite in an attempt to free the Danube.

NAVIES OF THE . EMPIRE *

REVIEW OF SUPPORT GIVEN

AN ANSWER TO NAZI PROPAGANDA

(BRITISH ' OFFICIAL WTttEteSß.) RUGBY, January 2. The spontaneous and overwhelming offers of support from the Dominions and colonies since the outbreak of "war have caused some concern to the enemy, whose propaganda has repeatedly belittled the potential and actual support. from the Empire and has even foretold the Empire's early disintegration. Men, money, munitions, and sup-, •plies of all kinds are reaching Brit-' ain in an ever-swelling state, but the first and among the greatest of the Empire's war contributions was the reinforcement of the British Fleet by the navies of Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and India immediately war broke out. The greatest of these reinforcements came from Australia, with six cruisers, one flotilla leader, four destroyers, and two escort vessels. In addition, Australia is now building three destroyers of the Tribal class and four escort vessels are nearing completion. A number of ships have been requisitioned for minesweeping and patrol work. Seven minesweeping and anti-submarine vessels are being laid down and a flotilla of fast" motor torpedo-boats " has been ordered. Australia trains her own officers and ratings and .now, with; the exception of .a-few senior officers and warrant officers, the personnel 6f her Navy is entirely Australian. The personnel provided for in the 1939-40 estimates was 555 officers and 5752 ratines. Reserve forces totalling some 600 officers and 5000 men were called up on the-outbreak of war to' complete the sea-going fleet.to war complement and to man auxiliary craft for local defence. The Royal Canadian Navy, established in 1910, had at the outbreak of war a personnel of some 500 officers and 1800 men, who were immediately reinforced by the calling up of a further 1800 reservists,- Many others have joined up, and are now under training. When the war began, Canada's fleet consisted of six modern destroyers, . and five . minesweeping trawlers. In 1939, the 36-knot flotilla leader Kempenfelt was taken over from the Royal Navy and renamed. By November, 40 vessels had been requisitioned for minesweeping and patrol* work, and a number of- naval minesweepers and fast patrol vessels are already on the stocks. Though New Zealand has no seagoing fleet of her own, since 1925 she has been lent two cruisers of the Royal Navy which she maintains at her own expense—the Achilles, which was made famous in the engagement with the Admiral Graf Spee, and the Leander. At the beginning-of the war, there were some 700 New Zealand'naval ratings, who were immediately reinforced by the calling up of 700 With this force the Dominion has already provided armed merchant cruisers and a number of minesweeping trawlers. New Zealand has also contributed £1,000,000 towards the construction of the 'Singapore naval base. In 1938 the Government of India undertook to maintain at least six modern escort vessels for co-opera-tion with the Royal Navy in the defence of India. The Royal Indian Navy at present consists of five escort vessels, one patrol vessel', one survey ship, one training and depot ship and various auxiliary craft. Four more modern escort vessels are about to be built. Apart from reserves, the sea-going strength of the Royal Indian Navy is- approximately 170 officers and 1500 men. South Africa has no Navy of her own, but has undertaken the defence of the Union's harbours and her 1800 miles of coast line. Shortly after the war began, a special sea- r (ward defence force was organised,