A SUMMARY OF THE SITUATION

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 283, 24 August 1940, Page 12

A SUMMARY OF THE SITUATION

As a sequel to their unsuccessful attempt to destroy a British convoy by gunfire from across the English Channel, the German artillerymen turned their long-range guns on the Dover area. 1h? shelling caused fairly widespread damage but remarkably few casualties. British bombers immediately replied by launching heavy attacks against'the enemy gun emplacements, and watchers from the English coast saw signs of great activity on the other side of the Channel. It is pointed out that"for such German bombardments to be fully successful the services of spotting aircraft are required and that these machines are bound to be given a lively reception by the watchful fighters of the R.A.F. Britain’s own long range guns have also made an appropriate reply. German raids on England are still not on the scale of a few days ago. One of the latest attacks resulted in the dropping of bombs on a London suburban area, where some damage and a few casualties were caused. The R.A.F. offensive continues, with important oil refineries and more aerodromes figuring as targets in the most recent attacks. Reliable reports say that there will soon be in service new British bombers twice as powerful in every respect as those now in use and extraordinarily fast for their great size. J his will mean the dclivciy .of even heavier blows at German targets. In addition, the total number of enemy machines brought down round the British coasts since the large-scale raids began on June 18 has now reached 1000. A spectacular success has been scored by the R.A.F. in North Africa. The Italian navy is the poorer by a destroyer, two submarines and a depot ship which were sunk by bombs in Derna harbour, Libya. According to the ‘‘Daily Telegraph,” it is reported from a usually reliable source that Italy lias threatened Greece with attack ii she does not immediately renounce the British guarantee. General Metaxas has said, though his statement is not reported as being specifically connected with any Italian ultimatum, that Greece will defend herself if she is invaded; and a British spokesman in Greece has said that if Greece resists attack Britain will forthwith giVe naval and aerial aid. General Metaxas has informed the British Minister that the Greek army is loyal and that Turkish support seems assured. The Egyptian Premier's definite statement that his country will declare war against Italy if Egypt is invaded by the Italians has been warmly welcomed by the Egyptian Press. Japan is staging a remarkable and widespread diplomatic reshuflic, which has meant the recall of ambassadors all over the world. Only those in London, Berlin, Rome and Moscow retain their posts. Ihe changes are said to presage a diplomatic offensive along the lines of the new Government’s policy and, according to one newspaper, mean the weeding out of diplomats and Foreign Office officials favourably disposed toward Britain and the United States.