French Row Over Oil At Brittany

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31344, 14 April 1967, Page 13

French Row Over Oil At Brittany

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) PARIS, April 13. The French Government has approved a 15 million franc credit to fight the oil lapping the French coast from the sunken tanker Torrey Canyon.

The Government admitted it was “somewhat helpless” in the face of the tragedy. The money was allocated after French press demands for the Government to explain why its experts had failed to predict the possibility of Brittany being affected by the oil drifting across from the wreck on the Cornwall coast, and why full precautions were not taken earlier.

Three thousand troops stationed in western France were yesterday put at the disposal of the local government authorities for oil-fighting duties.

Loudspeaker appeals were made for volunteers to help clean the beaches, but only about 100 people were reported to have turned out. Government ministers reported to President de Gaulle on the oil problem at the first meeting of the new Cabinet The Information Minister, Mr Georges Gorse, told reporters later the Government had approved the credit and that more money would no doubt follow.

“This affair is very grave and very serious, and we are somewhat helpless in the face of it” he said. Mr Gorse warned that the oil might spread during the next few months along the channel coast as far north as the mouth of the river Somme, about 225 miles

north-east of the 90-mile stretch of the Brittany coast already affected. The French press has accused the Government of not taking advantage of the time lapse since the wrecking of the Torrey Canyon on March 18 to protect French beaches, fishing and oyster beds from oil pollution. Mr Gorse said the fight against the oil would be waged by all methods, including detergent, under a unified command headed by Mr Francois Raoul, head of the Police Public Safety Department.