Evening star., 1942-12-11
Admiral Godefroy's
Fleet Still Problem
For British Navy
Attempt to Storve Him
Into Joining Allies
Seen as Lost Resort
BY PERTINAX.

Inc 1ate OF the Meet under Ad-
miral Godefroy of Alexandria,
Egypt, has still to be decided before
the whole issue of the French Navy
can be dismissed as belonging to the
past.
For some time negotiations have
been in progress between Vice Ad-
miral Sir Henry Harwood, in COM
n1and Of the Mediterranean area,
and the French commander, but to
this day satisfactory settlement is
still to come. According to all in
dications, Admiral Godefroy still re-
fuses to comply with Admiral Har-
woods request for the dozen war
ships under his command to Join
the British forces.
In July, 1910, few days after the
painful operation carried out by
Admiral Somerville at Mers-El-
Kebir, he signed an agreement with
Admiral Harwood's predecessor
whereby the French squadron was
to be neutralized until the end of
the war. Admiral Godefroy does
not now see any reason why that
instrument should be held by the
British as having lost its validity.
British Case Supported.
Yet. the British case can be sup
ported with powerful arguments.
Toulon's fall is the main case in
point. The Nazis now have at their
disposal all the material which for
decades was accumulated either in
the water or on land. In diplomatic
language such a development is
enough to create an entirely new
situation. 1t means that the British
regard themselves as freed from the
pledges to which they committed
themselves in circumstances which
today have ceased to exist.
The British did not concede that
the scuttling of the warships gath
cred IN Toulon was thoroughly sue
cessful, view which is shared here
by group of experts.
II no unit under Admiral De la
Borde had survived. Admiral Code
troy might be in position to argue
that British naval power does not
suffer from the outcome of Toulon.
But 1t is the contention of the Brit
ish that Admiral De La Borde and
his officers cannot be absolved from
all responsibility for the fact that
rs per cent of the fleet was not
seriously wrecked.
Small Casualties Cited.
In Toulon on November 81. the day
when the scuttling order was put in
force, the casualties were believed
to have been one officer and less
than 100 men killed. From that
figure the inference is being drawn
In competent quarters that the Off
GERS in charge did not perform their
duties to the limit, that they did not
remain on board long enough to
make sure that the work of destruc-
ton did not stop short of the as
signed program.
Nobody processes to know the
whole truth about the Toulon trag-
edy and final judgment had better
be postponed. Bat the British con-
slider that the reports now available
vindicate their claim fora set.of1 at
Alexandria. g
To- overcome Admiral Godefroy's
obstinacy ougt not to be a very
Arduous task. AL that the British
naval command has to do is to cut
OF the French ships from all sup
plies and to suspend the money pay
ments made to officers and crews
which are calculated on a higher
rate than the British Navy. But
such forcible means will not be used
except as q last resort.
Admiral Godefroy does not COM
nunicate with the outside world
except under British control. For
instructions he cannot turn to Vichy
or to Algiers where Admiral Darlan
has his headquarters. Besides, he
never was one of Admiral Darlan's
friends. He always associated with
narrow-minded, conservative sets.
He is an out-and-out royalist, a
zealot Of the so-called Action Fran
calse." Left to himself he is wont
to insist that his sense of military
honor forces him to keep his units
out OF the struggle.
Might Change Attitude.
Moreover, he perhaps resents his
being pressed to place his squadron
directly under the British Admiralty.
1t authorized to take it to Algerian
waters and merge it with the rest of
she French Navy, he might feel less
reluctant to change his attitude.
But the British Admiralty does
not seem ready to trust Admiral
Darlan and bring an indirect con-
tribution Of its own to the rebuild
ting OF the admirals personal power.
From the point OF view of French
national interests the sooner the
matter Is settled the better it will
be. For centuries Frances prestige
has stood very high in the Eastern
Mediterranean. The deadliest blow
1t ever has received comes from
those thousands Of sailors who lei
surely spend their time n Alexandria
while their former Allies bear the
brunt Of the fight.