CARGO LINER TORPEDOED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23574, 7 February 1940, Page 11

CARGO LINER TORPEDOED

ABSURD CLAIMS SINKINGS BY NAZIS USUAL EXAGGERATIONS DISABILITIES. OF AIRCRAFT By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright LONDON, Fob. 5 The Berlin official news agency states that Nazi air raiders sank 200,000 tons of neutral and Allied shipping in the North Sea between January 21 and 31. The Admiralty's silence regarding the successes claimed by Germany in Saturday's "tip and run" raids on British shipping causes no surprise in informed London circles, says a British official wireless message. It is recognised that the German claims include the usual exaggerations made in the hope that specifio contradictions will reveal much desired information.

It is pointed out that, unlike submarines, adroplanes have no opportunity of staying in the vicinity and verifying damage inflicted .and, at the best, pilots' reports can only give impressions obtained in a very short space of time. This disability wag probably accentuated in the case of the German bombers whose crews have wisely shown no inclination to await the arrival of British fighters. Resourcefulness of British Fighters

The return to port of some, and the news of the continuation of the voyages of others of the ships attacked, offers convincing evidence of the gross exaggeration of the German claims. The Manchester Guardian, in an editorial article on last Saturday's air raids, says: "From the German point of view, it was a fairly costly answer on Saturday. The loss of three or maybe four out of an attacking force estimated, at its highest, as 20, and over such a wide stretch of coast, gives proof of the speed and resourcefulness of our fighters which went up to deal with the raiders."

Commenting on the fact that Saturday's raids resulted in the first German bomber being brought down on English soil —although similar to the fate which befell one earlier in Scotland — the Guardian says Saturday's victim was over England only because it had been forced out of its course. Latest Plan .Likely to be Dropped "This is another of the war's unexpected developments," says the paper. "It was assumed, and not without good grounds, that raiders would be over England in the first hours of the struggle. It has taken five months to bring the first of them down in a spot where he never intended to be. "Yet air raids on coastal shipping, which were hardly foreseen at all, must now be reckoned to be a standard item of the German plan. But that item, too, will be dropped when it can be shown to be too expensive in proportion to results."

LOYALTY OF ULSTER GREAT WAR EFFORT £2,000,000 FOR BRITAIN PLOUGHING ADDITIONAL LAND (Received February 6, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, Feb. 5 The Prime Minister of Northern Ireland, Viscount Craigavon, in a broadcast speech on Ulster's war effort, said Britain's difficulty was Northern Ireland's opportunity to place all her resources, human and material, at the disposal of the United Kingdom in her hour of crisis.

Ulster was planning to have 250,000 additional acres ploughed in 1940. Also she was handing over to Britain a contribution of £2,000,000. Lord Craigavon concluded: "We are the King's men."

CHANGE IN COMMAND FORCES OF NETHERLANDS FORMER CHIEF RESIGNS THE HAG.UE, Feb. 5 The supreme commander of the land and sea farces of tho Netherlands, General Eeynders, has resigned. He will be succeeded by Lieutenant-General Winkelman, who is now promoted general. Up to now he has had command of the Utrecht air defence region. The Government disapproved certain of General Eeynders' measures on the ground of their excessive cost; also his arrangements for Army leave nnd the utilisation of civilians for Army purposes. These tho Government changed or cancelled. General Winkelman is regarded in military circles as an extremely able soldier. General Reynders' resignation, however, has perturbed the nation, Avhich recalls the coincidence of the resignation of the Belgian Commander-in-Chief, General Vandenberg, last week.