RUMANIA'S TRADE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23615, 27 March 1940, Page 9

RUMANIA'S TRADE

BRITAIN AM) GERMANY FIGURES FOR JANUARY ADVANTAGE TO BERLIN By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright LONDON. March -jr. While Dr. ClodiuH, chief of the economic section of the German .Foreign Office, is seeking to increase supplies for Germany, a Rumanian trade delegation is preparing to go to England. Rumanian trade figures for January have been published, showing exports to Britain at £872,000, and to Germany at £920,000, and imports from Britain £l-23,000, and from Germany at £ 1,023,000. Thus Germany has been able to maintain a favourable trade balance while Britain has been supplying Rumania with the lion's share of her negotiable currency. Britain's anxiety to increase her exports to Rumania, therefore, can be understood. Other figures published to-day show that British sales to Rumania have not increased in the past three years, although Britain recently granted substantial credits to Rumania. Germany's large exports are mainly composed of war materials and machinery. Britain is understood to be making strong bids to capture the Rumanian market in these lines. Signer Gayda, in an article in the newspaper Voce d'ltalia, accuses the Allies of spreading unfounded rumours of Germany's aims in regard to Rumania, with a view to destroying the influence of the Axis Powers in tho Balkans and Danubian area and extending the conllict to the Balkans. DANISH SINKINGS SEVEN IN FIVE DAYS STEAMER BRITTA'S FATE THIRTEEN OF CREW LOST (Received March 20, 5.35 p.m.) COPENHAGEN. March 25 The Danish steamer Britta of 1146 tons was sunk without warning off the north of Scotland. Thirteen members of the crew were drowned and five were picked up. The Britta is the seventh Danish vessel sunk in five days. Tho Danish steamer Britta is the second vessel of that name to have heen lost during the war. An earlier sinking was the Norwegian tanker Britta, which struck a mine in December. Lloyd's Register contains only one other vessel of this name, a Swedish motor-ship of 213 tons. DOUBLE PURPOSE NEW GERMAN TORPEDO -CAN BECOME A MINE i i LONDON, March 25 Admiralty officials are examining a new type of German torpedo, one of which was washed ashore near Bridlington, Yorkshire. It is believed to have been dropped in the bay by a Heinkel bomber a week ago. The torpedo is shaped like a cigar, 12 feet long, nine to 10 inches wide, with two propellers at the tail, a pointed nose, and has painted on it pictures of Mr. Chamberlain and his umbrella. It is believed that it has a double purpose. If it misses its target it becomes a kind of mine. NEW LIGHTSHIPS BRITISH IMPROVEMENT LONDON, March 25 In view of the German attacks on lightships and the machine-gunnii;g of the crews, new lightships have been designed on which the lights will burn for two months unattended. These will replace all the existing lightships .shortly. NO ALLIED LOSS LAST WEEK'S RECORD LONDON, March 20 Not a single British or Allied ship was lost by enemy action last week. This is the first week since the war that no Allied loss has been recorded, although neutrals were again the sufferers.

NEW TAXATION * DENMARK'S DECISION EXPECTED "YIELD £4,500,000 (Received March i>((, 5.5 p.m.) COPEXHAG EX, ilarch 25 The Danish Government prohibited sales of a wide variety of articles as from midnight in preparation for new taxes to he imposed to-day. This resulted in an unprecedented run on the shops. The commodities involved include preciouu metals, dress accessories, alcohol, tobacco, confectionery, cosmetics and electric goods. The new taxes are estimated to product. £4,500,000. FRAME PEACE PLAN SUBMIT TO BELLIGERENTS MR. ROOSEVELT'S INTENTION LONDON. March 3 0 President Roosevelt seems certain to frame a pence plan and submit it to the belligerents. Diplomatic quarters believe this will be the outcome of the visit to Europe of the President's envoy, Mr. Sumner Welles. They believe Mr. Roosevelt's plan will include adjustments of economic problems and a world conference at which the nations would have the right to raise grievances. "An armistice now would be a victory for Hitler even greater than Munich," says the New York Herald-Tribune. The paper attacks the suggested moves for an armistice by President Roosevelt through Mr. .Welles' mission to Europe.