GERMAN U-BOATS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIX, Issue 65, 16 March 1940, Page 13

GERMAN U-BOATS

FAR-FLUNG CAMPAIGN

AN AMERICAN FORECAST .

TONNAGE INCREASED

(By Telegraph — Press Association—Copyright.)

(Received March 16, 1 p.m.) MONTREAL, March 15,

According to a message from New York, the Washington correspondent of the "New York Times" that information received in the United States indicates an increase of nearly 150 per cent, in Germany's submarine strength since ,the outbreak of the-war, the tonnage having been raised from 33,000 on October 1 to 80,000 at the present time. The latter figure Includes 30 U-boats of 1300 tons which are capable of operating thousands of miles from their bases. ,

It is believed this is a forecast of a " far-flung submarine campaign which will probably include the western Atlantic and the Mediterranean. It may have been one of the reasons for Mr. Sumner Welles's mission. Another German merchantman, the La Coruna (7414 tons) was scuttled and set on fire on Wednesday whetf intercepted by a British warship in northern waters. Her ten" officers; and the crew of 50 took to the boats and were picked up by the British warship. . . • '

A message from Balboa states /that despite the fact that they. are sceptical, the authorities are Investigating a report-that two German submarines fuelled at San Salvador, in the Galapagos group.