Evening star., 1941-01-12

snip. FOrtundUely, UIeTe Welc Ao uAeS
hits
The naval situation became desperate
for Italy with Winston Churchills an
nouncement, September 5, that REIN
forcements of the newest and most
powerful units were being dispatched
to the Mediterranean. These probably
included one or more of the very recently
completed and freshly commissioned
King George V class, incomparably the
most powerful battleships now af1oat in
the world. This class has new type
of 14-inch gun, with remarkable pene-
tration of armor at long range and a
rapid rate of fire. The ratio of metal
discharged by the ten 14-inch guns OF
a George v is 2.34O to 2128 of the nine
15-inch guns of an italian ship of the
Littorio class.
The Greek invasion scheme was
first-claSs strategical "bOner" The Ital-
ian plan boomeranged, and Britain, not
Italy, secured Greek air and naval bases.
The range and scope of the Royal Navy
and Air Force have been doubled. The
Greek Archipelago has many islands eX-
cellent for submarine bases. Some Of
the anchorages, notably Suda Bay. Crete,
are excellent as advance bases for the
British battle feet.
GraZiani in Difficult Base.
BY now Graziani was softened for the
kill. The Libyan supply ports were being
constantly bombed by R. A. F. squadrons
based on Greece. That is to say, the
transfer of R A F units from Egypt to
Greek ports stepped up the regularity
of their attacks against Libyan naval and
military bases. Meanwhile, Grazianis
advance post at Sidi Barrani was being
mercileSsly shelled by Cunninghams
Ships operating from Greek bases. SO
long as the British feet possessed no
base between Suez and Gibraltar, no
| sustained isolation of Graziani's forces
was possible. Until Mussolinis Greek
"boner," any British naval thrust in
| force against Italys convoy routes TO
/ North Africa had to be launched from
! Alexandria. 900 miles away. 1t took
! over two days for the British feet to
| reach the convoy route, so that, if Ital-
ian air reconnaissance from the Dode-
canese reported the enemy feet at Alex
andria, supply ships could safely leave
for Africa. Hence, the necessity Of fire.
/ ouent British sweeps. Today, based on
( Suda Bay. the Mediterranean feet Is on
the flank of Italys African communica-
/ tions, only some 300 miles away. Libya
/ is already doomed. The need Of import
! ing water into most Of Italy's North
! African bases is a vital one. For this
! purpose Italy had built many water car
riers. But very few supply ships Of any
kind are getting past the British blockade.
Lastly. Greek bases made possible the
daring Taranto exploit of the fleets air
arm November II. when three of Italy's
six battleships were badly damaged.
Fortunately for the Italians, the ships
were anchored in shallow water.
British Hold the Trumps.
What does it all add up to? The British
have the Italians on the run. They
hold all the trumps in the Mediter-
ranean. A knockout blow in l941 is
distinct possibility. The elimination of
| Italy will bring the defeat of Germany
much nearer The blockade will become
closer, and. above all. most of the light
| units of Cunningham's fleet would be
/ set free for convoy work in the Atlantic,
while the heavy units would reinforce
| the home feet and permit the release
| of swift, armored ships to hunt down
/ surface raiders. Finally, British merch-
| ant ships would be able to use the faster
Suez route once more, which would be
equivalent to a great increase of merch-
ant tonnage.
| But the Germans are again exerting
! pressure on Bulgaria, which may we'll
! be a prelude to wide action in the
Balkans. Such action by land might
eventually nullify the results of recent
British victories.
To parry a blow from this new quarter
Britain must be given renewed strength
| from the arsenal of democracy" Amer
lea can speed up cargo-shipbuilding.
! She can make arrangements to take
over British shipping routes in the
Pacific The administration may find
it practicable to release further over
age destroyers to Britain. And finally.
and most important, there is always the
| possibility of Atlantic convoy by Ameri-
| can naval vessels.