GERMAN BLOCKADE

Grey River Argus, 5 December 1940, Page 7

GERMAN BLOCKADE

22 SHIPS LOST In One Week [British Official Wireless! RUGBY, December 3. Mercantile losses due to enemy action for the week ending November 24-25, were 22 ships of 87,975 tons, comprising 19 British, 75,560 tons, and three Allied 12,415 tons. A naval authority commented that the figures were serious, being 24,000 tons above the weekly average since the outbreak of war, but the increasing U-boat menace was one with which the British Navy fully recognised it would have to wage a stern fight. Mr Cross informed the Commons that the first order, for the construction of 60 cargo ships, had been given to United States shipbuilders, by the Admiralty. He added that old but serviceable vessels, including those belonging to the Maritime Commission, have been and will continue to be purchased from the United States.

Losses Compared WITH 1917. (Received December 4, 7.0 p.m.). RUGBY, December 3. Regarding the shipping losses, the total of 87,975 tons is very serious, but it should b e . carefully compared with German claim s to have sunk during tho same week 118.020 tons. Conditions are so difficult, in many respects —some tending to make anything like the size of the. tonnage look more serious, and others tending to make it less serious —that th2 value of such comparisons is not so great an appears on their face Nevertheless, they are interesting. The total figure of all sinkings by the enemy in April, 1917, amounted to 881,000. ' . During the four weeks ending November 23 last, the British tonnagsunk amounted to 268,256, and the

German Claims 160,000 TONS SUNK ON SUNDAY. RAIDERS IN PACIFIC. [Aus. & N.Z. Cable Assn.) (Received December 4, 7.25 p.m.) LONDON, December 3. A German communique has claimed that U-boats attacked a convoy which was en route to Britain on Monday, and that- the U-boats sank the escorting auxiliary cruiser, the “Caledonia,” and also fifteen”merchantmen. totalling over 110 thousand tons. Another U-boat, the communique states, sank two freighters, including the “Victor Ross.” thus making a total of 160.000 tons sunk on Sunday. The British Admiralty, however, pointed out that H.M.S. “Scotstoun,” which was formerly the liner_“Coledonia,” was admitted to have been sunk on June 14 last. Then the German News Agency issued an urgent correction to the communique, substituting an auxiliary cruiser for the “Caledonia.” The German News Agency has also stated that the appearance of German surface naval units on the Indian Ocean and in the Pacific Ocean is forcing Britain to take new security measures.

100 U-BOATS

Engaged in Blockade [Aus. & N.Z. Cable Assn.] (Received December 4, 9.40 p.m.) LONDON, December 4, The correspondent of the British United Press reports, from Berlin, that a neutral source estimates that there now are at least one hundred U-boats operating against British shipping.

Italian Claims

BRITISH SHIP SUNK IN ATLANTIC. (Received December 4, 9 p.m.i LONDON, December 3. An Italian communique states that an Italian submarine sank the ship “Lilian Moller,” a British vessel of 4,866 tons, in the Atlantic, on November 18.

British Imports

RIGID REDUCTION LONDON, December 3. The “Daily Telegraph’s” Cape Town correspondent says Lord Woolton’s statement has alarmed South African fruitgrowers, who may lose £500,000 if the ban is applied this season. A permit was recently obtained from the Ministry of Food to export 20,000 tons of fresh and 8000 tons of pulped fruit. The local markets cafinot absorb the whole of the fruit crop, and growers fear a glut will cause a disastrous depression in prices. SIMPLER LIVING. FOR BRITISH PUBLIC. [British Official Wireless] RUGBY, December 3. . , Lord Woolton, broadcasting, said: “When we have taken the offensive overseas, the problem of feeding the people of this country will' change.. W & must be prepared not to, tighten belts, because that means going short You will not do that, out Will live more simply and have less variety.” The reason, Lord Wooltun said, was that he had had to agree to give up a great deal of valuable; shipping space. H e said: “Our ships in the Mediterranean have something more valuable to do than call at ports and bring in onions, lemons, oranges, and grapes.” WOOL TRADE GROWS IN U.S.A. NEW YORK, December 3. ’The Journal of Commerce states the weekly raw wool consumption is

the highest for four years, and unfilled orders the highest for years. Business in hand is sufficient >-0 maintain the mills’ schedules until April. The October consumption of apparel wool was 7,848,0001bs weekly, compared with a weekly average in January-October which amounted to 5,504,0001b5.