German Oil Supplies Nearly Exhausted

Northern Advocate, 1 December 1939, Page 6

German Oil Supplies Nearly Exhausted

NEW YORK, November 30,

It is stated in United States military .and naval quarters that Germany is facing a serious situation with rapidly diminishing oil and petrol supplies, says an exclusive despatch to the “New York Times” from Washington. Britain and France are getting millions of barrels of oil from the United States but not a single barrel of U.S, oil is believed to

have, reached Germany. Frantic efforts in Germany to develop synthetic petrol factories, which it is hoped will be in operation in 1940, are considered to be evidence of the gravity of the situation. No Supplies From Russia.

German hopes of Russian supplies are baseless, as Russia is pressed to fill her own needs, particularly of motor fuels, of which she imported 248,000 barrels from the United States in September. Germany’s annual petrol requirements for ,an estimated 6000 1 to 8000 aeroplanes would be 12,000,000 barrels, apart from her other requirements.

The near exhaustion of her reserves since the Polish, campaign may explain the lack of mass flights over Britain and France now and the absence of an attack on the Western Front.