A SUMMARY OF THE SITUATION

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 158, 31 March 1941, Page 8

A SUMMARY OF THE SITUATION

Progress reports of a naval engagement of important proportions appear in Admiralty and R.A.F. communiques. Admiral Cunningham’s Mediterranean fleet has succeeded in bringing the Italian fleet to action, and the Italian losses have apparently been severe a battleship, two cruisers and a destroyer damaged and one vessel believed sunk. In addition to surface craft, planes of the Meet Air Arm and the Royal Air Force have been taking part in the battle. ' The British forces in East Africa continue on their winning way. The advance eastward from Keren is progressing and mobile units are now 40 miles from Asmara, the capital of Eritrea. In Abyssinia the situation continues to develop satisfactorily. The Royal and South African Air Forces are hammering hard at the enemy on all the African fronts. In Yugoslavia the new Government has not yet made a definite statement on its foreign policy. The people are still showing clearly by street demonstrations that their sympathies lie with the Allies. There are reports that German residents are leaving the country. Germany at the moment is holding her hand and has given no indication of the attitude she is likely to adopt toward Yugoslavia. A call for courage and action to block the dictators in their march toward world domination was made by President Roosevelt addressing the people of the United Statesjroni his yacht alter an eight days holidav.