OIL SUPPLIES IN WAR

Greymouth Evening Star, 30 December 1937, Page 4

OIL SUPPLIES IN WAR

BRITISH TANKER TONNAGE

LONDON, December 12

Britain, has an ample margin of oil tanker tonnage for war needs, says an article in “The Times.” British companies control 20 per cent, of the world oil supplies at their sources and British tankers have a dead-weight, capacity of 4,330,000 tons, which total is equalled only by the United States with 4,400,000 tons, including 600,000 tons registered at Panama. The article discusses wartime supplies. In 1936, Britain’s imports were 2.516.000,000 gallons, 38 per cent, coming from Venezuela and the Dutch Vest Indies, 18 from Europe, 10 from (ho United States of America, six fioni Rumanina, six from Mexico, 51 from British possessions, and five from Iraq. ■ Conditions might arise to prevent supplies coming from Rumania, Russia and Iraq, which are 14.6 per cent, of the whole, but British eonipauies could easily make this up by taking 15,000,000 tons as a year’s war needs, allowing for losses from enemy ac- | tion and allowing each tanker to make /Only eight trips a year. All Iranian ' oil might have to come via the Cape, !4hus lowering the average number of journeys. I Britain would require 1,875,000 tons lof tankers for this 'work, which leaves I a margin of more than 2,450.000 tous. ; Practically all Europe’s oil imports come via the Suez dr tile Atlantic. Shipping oil to the western coasts of Britain and France is comparatively simple.