ITALY ISOLATED

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 168, 15 June 1940, Page 7

ITALY ISOLATED

POSSIBLE STRATEGY. NAVAL SITUATION. (United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (British Official Wireless.), Received June 15, 11.10 a.m. RUGBY, June 14. In considering the Mediterranean theatre of war, informed London quarters regard that sea as divided into three main zones — the eastern basin, dominated by Egypt and the British Fleet; the central sector within the triangle formed by Sardinu,- Sicily and Cape Bon, at present under Italian control, and the western basin, dominated by Spain and by the French Fleet. Italy, therefore, is somewhat isolated. In order to obtain free access to two of the thr'ee entrances to the Mediterranean through which she mainly relies for supplies it may be necessary for her to endeavour to break out at one or other of the ends. In order to effect this in the western basin Italy must control Spa.in and destroy the French Fleet, while to bring about the result in the eastern basin the occupation of Egypt and the destruction of the British' Mediterranean Fleet would be necessary. There is no tendency in official circles to underestimate the fighting power of the Italian Navy, the training of which has been a great improvement on that given before the last rvar. It is felt the main strength of the navy probably lies in the submarines and motor torpedo-boats, of which Italy has a considerable quantity, and which in the last Avar she slioAi'ed her ability to use. Of : her six battleships, judged by British practice two of these are regarded as effective and the remaining, four are not yet efficient fighting units, as they hav.e not yet fully Cornell etod thoir trials., The custom of the British Navy is to regard new or reconditioned ships ns not being TOO per cent, effective until thev have had six months’ working after the trials have been comnleted. MERCHANT LOSSES. Italy’s merchant fleet has already been depleted bv British naval action bv ab0ut.210.85.') tons. Some of these ships. Avere scuttled, hut many Avere cn.ntured and, therefore, have been added to the Allied merchant service. In view of the fresh outbreak of German submarine activity this implementation of the merchant fleet is valuable. Before Italy declared Avar she had already suffered some loss at sea. Between September and June 10 eight Italian vessels of a total of 37.619 tons Avere sunk bv Germany. LONDON. June 14. It is authoritatively stated, that oi the total Italian mercantile tonnage captured or scuttled about 8000 tons are in British home ports.