Evening star., 1941-05-04
Britain Reported
Needing More U. 5.
Aid on Conveys
streomlining Of Shipping
System Held Necessary
For AtIontic Bottle

~ the Associated Press.
LONDON, May 3.-The British
were said tonight by a well-placed
American informant to feel great
need for a swing of United States
public opinion which would permit
close cooperation of American and
British Navies in the organization
of system of swifter, smaller, bet
ter-guarded conveys.
This informant characterized the
British war position as pretty
grim" at present and said: when
attempting to assess the Importance
of our help in the battle of the
Atlantic, you must remember that
these are proud people who would
be reluctant to admit any possibility
of defeat even though it were i'm
minent."
British naval experts, the inform
ant continued, would like to have
fuller American cooperation in ap-
plication of system of stream
lined conveys to protect seaborne
supplies from the United States
from submarines, long-range bomb
ers and warplanes.
AS the informant explained it,
such a system would involve the
use of comparatively small conveys
of perhaps 10 merchant ships each,
instead of three times that number
as at present, carefully matched for
speed. Each convoy would be pro-
tected by cruiser to fight off sur
face raiders; a pair of destroyers to
combat submarines, and planes,
either its own or from convenient
bases, to protect it from air attack.
Patrols Free British Ships.
Proper classification of the ships
by speed would step up the Atlantic
crossing and permit quick unloading
and departure from ports under air
attack.
The, British acknowledge that
their convoy system has been bet
tered by far-ranging American neu-
trality patrol warships, which per-
nit the release of British craft to
strengthen conveys in the main
danger zone west of Ireland and
south of Iceland. But, in the view
of todays American informant, more
positive aid is needed from the
United States to cope with the Ger
man U-boats which infest this
watery graveyard of the western
approaches" an area some 500 miles
in circumference.
The British are concentrating
more on getting this help than on
the question of getting Irish bases,
the informant said. He explained
that the British feel that the need
for quick aid is so urgent that even
If the Irish decided to turn over
the bases to Britain. the time re-
quired for putting them into use
would make them of less immediate
advantage than American convoy
protection.
Depends on U. s. for Oil.
Emphasizing the British convic-
ton that the war can be won in
the battle of the Atlantic, the in
formant cited these points which.
he acknowledged, brought up the
prospect Of a war which might
starve Europe: -! s'r
l.. Regardless of what happens to
Britain's Iraq oil supply, the Ameri-
cans can supply all the oil Britain
needs If the Atlantic can be kept
open.
2. Should a German conquest of
the Mediterranean and Moslem up
risings in the Near East cut Britain's
empire in half, she still will be
sound at the heart, in the British
Isles, and her imperial forces may
be able to hold vital parts of the
empire for long time.
8. She can hold the Channel front
against invasion if with Americas s
aid she can match Hitlers air
strength, and then concentrate on
the job of bombing out and block
aiding Germany's sources of supply.