FUTURE WAR PROBLEM

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16866, 1 February 1929, Page 7

FUTURE WAR PROBLEM

SOUND CONVOY SYSTEM O,L FUEL DIFFICULTY (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.r (United Service.) (Received February 1. 11 a.in.) LONDON. Jan. 31. The problem of oil for our merchantmen in the next war was raised by Sir Norman Leslie, one of the organisers of the great convoy system in 1917. He said ‘the increasing use of oil in the mercantile marine since the war was fraught with difficulty, and in war time it would he a positive danger. We needed 9,200,000 tons of oil in peace time, and of this we imported 7,201,030. We would need 30,000,000 tons in war time. Where was it corning from? We were losing the control of foreign shipping which was conferred bv * British (' n al and bunkering ports. ITe urged the establishment of a body of experts to work out details for the operation of the merchant fleet. The employment of, modern aircraft would neceesitate a complete reorganisation of tiie convov system. Merchantmen would have to lie accompanied bv scouting aircraft. The war left nobodv in doubt regarding our Achilles heel. W r o might be c.ertain that our enemies would concentrate on the destruction of the merchant fleet, No conceivable means of attack would be neglected. Bombs placed among cargo and hunkers at ■ neutral ports, gas. mines, aircraft, submarines, and gunfire would all lie called into plav, as well as anything else mini's ingenuity could' devise.