TOWN OF TOBRUK

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 8, 10 January 1941, Page 7

TOWN OF TOBRUK

GOOD NATURAL HARBOUR

POOR WATER SUPPLY

(British Official Wireless.)

RUGBY, January 8

Tobruk, one of the best natural harbours on the North African coast, takes a central place in British newspapers folloAving the announcement that special forces ai*e concentrating in the area. The harbour is formed by a promontory and is Avell protected from Avinds and, having a depth of 43 feet at the centre and 33 feet up to within 1000 yards of the extreme Avestern end, it can be used in all Aveathers. There are three Avooden jetties, the longest of Avhich can serve ships of medium tonnage.

Since its capture by the Italians from the Turks in 1911 the tOAvn has been rebuilt almost entirely in stone and laid out on a rectangular plan. It is the capital of the Marmarica area of Libya, and it had a population in 1937 of 4130, including 220 Italians. This number had increased to 822 in 1939. v

The toAAm is enclosed by a modern, defensive wall, and long defences have been constructed on the landAvard side since the outbreak of the Avar. The Avater supply is poor and drinking Avater has to be brought from Derna. Two roads run southward from Tobruk, one turning east to Bardia and the other.south to El Adem, where it joins the junction of the Solium and Jarabub roads. Westward from the tOAvn runs a metalled road to Derna.

li.v special arran„ciiienißftiter'? world ««.r----v'- in addition lo other spec!,.! source- of iiifoi-nuttion is used in the eonipihition nf ilia orerseas tiifellfgei!.-e tiubli.heri in ti>i* issu., and all rights therein in Australia nud Nevr Zealand are reserved.