ATLANTIC FRONT

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 72, 26 March 1941, Page 9

ATLANTIC FRONT

MEETING NAZI MENACE

VITAL AMERICAN HELP

SHIPS AND PLANES

(British O(Ik);i) Wireless.)

RUGBY, March 21

With the grim battle-of the Atlantic opened in earnest and ihe Gneiscnau and Scharnhorst at large, the British Press is taking stock of methods by which a German defeat in ihcir barbarous conduct of sea warfare will be encompassed. Chief stress is laid on United States help, culminating in the Aid to Britain Act.

"The Times" says: "No more timely form of aid could have been devised than the 50 destroyers transferred last year. The American Secretary of the Navy, Colonel Knox, stated last week that the next naval transfer would be composed of smaller craft, such as motor torpedo-boats, of which there are never enough in the theatre of war." FILLING THE GAPS. From a replacement point of view "The Times" underlines the importance of the statement by an official of the United States Maritime Commission that about 400 merchantmen would be.built for Britain under the Aid Act. A further statement that the commission is surveying 113 cargo steamers now in coastal service in the hope that they may be employed in Britain's service is also warmly welcomed.

The third method of assistance is the supply of United States aircraft. "The supply of these," says "The Times," "of which future figures of more than 10,000 have been mentioned as the rate of supply to be aimed at in a year, is as valuable to the war at sea as to the defence of Britain or the campaign in the Near East.

An interesting analysis of the chances of survival for any length of time of the Scharnhorst and Gneisenau is made in the "News Chronicle," which says: "The search may continue many days. Less heavily armed than any British battleship, they have the 'legs' of most of them for speed, with the exception of the King George V. With nine 11-inch guns, their armament is superior to that of any British cruisers except the battle-cruisers Hood, Renown, and Repulse. When the search has brought results there may arise difficulties in bringing adequate forces into contact, and in this aircraft may be expected to play an increasingly large part against U-boats as well as surface raiders."