LESS SINKINGS OF SHIPS

Greymouth Evening Star, 17 January 1941, Page 7

LESS SINKINGS OF SHIPS

BRITISH PRESS COMMENTS. [BRITISH OFFICIAL WIRELESS.] RUGBY, January 15. Gratification is expressed in the Press at the drop in mercantile shipping losses by enemy action to 14,687 tons in the first week of the New Year —a figure which is the lowest for about eight months and about onefifth of the weekly average for the whole war. At the same time, most commentators warn the public against making over-optimistic deductions from results over a short period. As the “Manchester Guardian” says: “We must show the same caution as the Navy itself, which is careful to avoid making the latest losses an excuse for optimistic claims.” The “Manchester Guardian adds: “Beating the submarines and mines is a long business.” The “Daily Telegraph” says: “In August Hitler announced that he would intensify the destruction of our merchant vessels, and during September, Nazi submarines, mines, aircraft, and raiders sank 100,000 tons a week. During October and November the average was 85,000 and 86,000 tons respectively, and there followed a black week at the beginning of December, in which 101,970 tons was lost. But the average in the three weeks following came down to .40,000 tons. The startling fall to 14,687 tons just recorded shows a large reduction, continued throughout the month. “Optimistic conclusions should not be drawn that the German campaign is frustrated. The weather in the period of the reduction was bad for bombing and mine-laying aeroplanes, and the season of long nights is not that in which sumarines can most easily find their target. On the other hand, throughout December, 1916, and January, 1917, the German submarine onslaught in the last war numbered more and more victims every week, and reached the peak in April, 1917. But in spite of the assistance by aircraft and the advantage of occupying all the ports of the western coast of the Continent, the Nazi campaign has through mid-Winter been dwindling. We are therefore entitled to feel confident that our bombing of German submarine and air bases, together with the American destroyers and other escort vessels which we are bringing into service, will ultimately defeat the attack as completely as in 1918.”

FRENCH BLOCKADE-RUNNER. LONDON, January 16. It is reported from Montevideo that the Mendoza was ing towards Brazil, still within the neutrality zone. A merchant cruiser was zig-zagging seven miles behind.