The Northern Advocate Daily “NORTHLAND FIRST” Registered for transmission through the post as a Newspaper MONDAY, MAY 26, 1941. Sinking Of The Hood

Northern Advocate, 26 May 1941, Page 4

The Northern Advocate Daily “NORTHLAND FIRST” Registered for transmission through the post as a Newspaper MONDAY, MAY 26, 1941. Sinking Of The Hood

NEWS of the sinking of Britain’s mighty Hood, the world’s biggest battle-cruiser, brings home the far-reaching nature of the Battle of the Atlantic and the tremendous strain imposed upon the British Navy, which has vitally important tasks to perform simultaneously on the Seven Seas.. The Hood was apparently one unit of a British squadron which has been pursuing the German battleship Bismarck, whose presence in the •'American zone of the Atlantic had been known for some time. Mr. Churchill, it. will be remembered, tqld the House ol: Commons, when the Battle of the Atlantic was developing, that one, and probably two, of the latest German battleships had got into the far Atlantic, which would naturally increase the task of the British Navy. # 1 Little has been heard of the enemy’s big ships,. hut it is clear that they have gradually been brought within striking distance of Britain’s Navy, for an action between British and German ships was in course of progress off the coast of Greenland when an enemy torpedo struck the Uood in a vulnerable spot, igniting the magazine, which blew up and destroyed the battle-cruiser. It is feared that there will he few survivors of the Hood’s company, which numbered oyer 1300. Tins is a sad and unwelcome incident, hut there is reason to believe that the Bismarck has been damaged and that its destruction may yet he announced, for it is stated that British units are continuing their attack upon the enemy, which is trying to escape. It may therefore ho safely assumed that a naval operation of a major character is in progress. (There seems to he little doubt that the loss of the Hood will have an important effect upon the United States Administration, for it is clear that the German warships have been approaching American territorial waters to a degree which the United States cannot regard with equanimity. Germany, in an attempt to stop the transport of American-made munitions to Britain, lias apparently been forced to operate in proximity to the coast of America rather than the British zone.

This is the result, no doubt, of the patrolling system adopted by the United States. However that may he, there is evidence that Germany is prepared to run the risk of open warfare with the United States, for Admiral Eaeder, the head of the German Navy, has stated very definitely that German naval commanders cannot he expected to stand by and acquiesce in American naval plans to assist Britain. This, in conjunction with the effect which the sinking of the Hood has had in the United States, suggests that a farreaching pronouncement may he expected when President* Roosevelt makes his world broadcast scheduled for Wednesday.