AMERICAN SHIPPING AID

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23955, 3 May 1941, Page 8

AMERICAN SHIPPING AID

Hardly a day passes without the United States giving fresh evidence of determination, in President Roosevelt's phrase, "to perpetuate American democracy by aiding embattled democracy in the Old World." The latest instance is provided by the rapid response of the United States Maritime Commission to a request from the President that 50 oil tankers should be placed at the service of Britain within the next few days. The vessels will be used to transport oil cargoes from South to North American ports, where the precious fuel will be transferred to British tankers for the Atlantic crossing. The aid thus proposed is considerable, for, although the British tankers will be employed exclusively in the Atlantic danger zone, the policy of transhipment will enable them to make speedier trips with consequent benefit to the oil storage position in Britain. At the same time the President has ordered the immediate pooling of 2,000,000 tons of merchant shipping, from which Britain will be entitled to draw to replace lost tonnage. The American reserve thus made available, together with the 3,000,000 tons of foreign or newly-constructed tonnage now flying the Red Ensign, more than exceeds the total British losses in the war to date, which were given recently by Mr. Churchill as nearly 4.000,000 tons._ American assistance in the provision of naval tonnage for sale or lease to Britain cannot be expected to reach these impressive levels, chiefly because the United States must work her shipyards to capacity for the establishment of her two-ocean navy. Nevertheless, the transfer of a substantial number of mosquito craft, together with the extension of American naval patrols, will be of direct and timely assistance to the Royal Navy.