THE BLOCKADE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23946, 23 October 1939, Page 8

THE BLOCKADE

EVIDENCE OF SUCCESS NAZIS RESORT TO ARTIFICES EFFORT TO EVADE CONTROL BARRIER (British Official Wireless) RUGBY. Oct. 20. Germany is now cut off from practically all overseas sources of supply, and the German Government Is consequently resorting to every artifice to obtain its requirements. The greatest efforts are made by Germans to disguise consignments. It is remembered that during the last war one German purchasing agency alone worked under no less than 200 separate aliases in neutral countries. Satisfaction is felt by the British Contraband Control that a considerable acceleration has now been attained in dealing with the examination of neutral ships. During the past week a number of such ships has been examined, and their cases referred to the Ministry of Economic Warfare and decided by the Contraband Committee within a period of two or three days. Also two Dutch ships were declared, without reference to the committee, on receipt of satisfactory assurances that their cargoes were not destined ultimately for Germany. Similar guarantees have been obtained from three vessels which hav c not yet arrived at the control base. Therefore, the delay in these cases should not amount to more than the time necessary to check the assurance that the ships’ cargo corresponds with the details already furnished to the Ministry. On the other hand, it is not possible for the Contraband Control to deal rapidly with neutral _ shipping unless the shipping companies and neutral owners of cargo are prepared to give full co-operation. In many cases the delay is not the fault of the British authorities. Unless the fullest details of cargo and adequate assurances are supplied to the Ministry, it is essential for the latter to scrutinise all cargoes with the greatest care to ensure that none of them is destined for the enemy. Naturally, the British Government does not interfere with trade going to neutral countries adjacent to Germany merely for the sake of interference But it must satisfy itself that the trade passing its shores is destined solely for the benefit of neutrals. As soon as it is able to satisfy itself on this point there is no reason for shipping to be detained. A memorandum prepared by the Ministry of Economic Warfare, suggesting ways in which neutral shipowners and merchants can co-operate, will shortly be obtainable from British consular officers abroad. BRITISH TRADE EXPORTS MAINTAINED LICENCES FREELY ISSUED (British Official Wireless) RUGBY, Oct. 20. Between September 1 and October 10 licences for the export of coal to Sweden were issued for 815,000 tons. The normal monthly average British coal export to Sweden is 221,000 tons. In the same period 446,000 tons have been licensed for export to Norway and 837,000 tons to Denmark, compared with the peace-time figures of 113.000 tons and 250.000 tons respectively. This us an interesting demonstration of the British intention, made clear in the early days of the war, to maintain, and if possible, to increase exports. Export licences are being freely issued, although in the first few weeks there were inevitably some delays. Incidentally, the figures given above dispose of the idea which is being sedulously propagated .in certain neutral markets by Nazi agents that Britain will be unable to keep up her exports. Germany’s external trade' having been in effect on a war footing for years, her export trade arrangements with those countries to which she is still able to send goods have not shown a temporary dislocation, which, in the British case, is due to the imposition of war controls. But Germany’s position as an exporter in war is likely to suffer, and the results will be more serious, far-reaching and lasting on account of increasing the difficulties she is experiencing in maintaining the quality of her exports and fulfilling orders. DUTCH TRADE AFFECTED ROTTERDAM, Oct. 20. M. Deoboer, director of the Netherland Steamship Company, complained that the British blockade would deal the death-blow to Dutch export trade unless relaxed-