The daily monitor. (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1940-1942, 1941-08-19


R-The United States promised
Britain faster aerial aid in the
middle east today ny establish
ing South Atlantic ferry SER
vice to shuttle American war
planes to West Africa and thence
to the front.
Pres d mt Roosevelts an
nouncement that the service was
being established was immedi-
ately given two interpretations:
It represented an advance
move to neutralize the value OF
the French base of Dakar II 1t
should fall into German control;
and
ut foreshadowed a revival of
major activity in the now gen.
orally quiet Mediterranean the
atre of war"
CALLED VALUABLE
The White House announce
ment last night laid stress on the
value of the new ferry ~ystem,
asserting that "the Importance
of this line of communication
between our country and stra-
tegic outposts in Africa cannot
be overestimated."
Under the agreement conclud-
ed, President Roosevelt said,
Pan American Always would
ferry the planes from the United
States to West Africa and then
on to the Middle East.
To supplement the ferry SER
vice, Mr.. Roosevelt disclosed,
Pan American also MAS estab-
fishing a transport service cover
ing the same routes. This will
carry spare aircraft parts or 9TH
er essential items and also will
be used for returning ferry per-
sonnet. The service, he added,
likewise will be available for
general commercial use between
the United States and Africa.
ROUTES NOT SPECIFIED
The exact routes were not
specified, brit it was said that
they were so arranged that thy
would not pass through any zone
of actual warfare.
Both Freetown in British ST.
ezra Leone and Bathurst in Brit
ish Gambia were mentioned un-
officially as likely West African
terminals for the South Atlantic
service. The British are report
ed to have improved their air
facilities at both places.
Bomoers might be flown from
Trinidad or some other nearby
u. S. base, but shorter-range
warplaneS would require q clos
err hop-off point, preferably on
the bulge of Brazil. In this con-
nection, Congressional sources
only recently eported that ne
gotiations were in pro.re with
Brazil for the use of bases in
that section.
CAN CUT TRIP
From Trinidad to Freetown
the distance is slightly more than
5000 miles. The use of Bathurst
as a terminus would rlalsC the
trip several hundred miles short
err. From the bulge of Brazil the
run to either point would be
about LOO miles.
Bathurst is about 100 miles
south of Dakar. and Freetown
is 500 miles south of the French
base. Military men are of the
opinion that a strong air force
based within striking range of
Dakar could sharply reduce the
effectiveness of the base for ma
val operations if Germany
should succeed in obtaining its
use from the Vichy government.
For the present, however, the
indications were that the ferried
planes would be destined for op-
erations in North Africa and
perhaps Asia Minor. A consider
able number of American pur-
suit ships already have reached
Egypt by ships via the Red Sea.
The plans for q steady flow
of long range bombers to Africa
were connected with previous
reports that the army of the
Nile was preparing to take the
offensive again in Libya, where
German Strength is said tn have
been reduced by Withdrawals for
the Russian campaign.