Evening star., 1942-02-26
Naval
Continued From First Page

torpedo planes which attacked the
warships, but that the r. A. F. also
sent torpedo bombers.
Alexander warned that I'VE may
now be near the beginning of q new
period of raider activity, both Ger
man and Japanese" He said. Britain
and the United States already were
suffering "a considerably higher
rate" of shipping losses after year
in which new methods and new de-
vices had reduced Sinkings month
after month.
U-boat raids off the American
East Coast, he said, had seriously
affected the trend of the losses"
Whether the Scharnhorst and
Gneisenau were damaged in the
aerial and surface attacks during
their dash through the Channel or
were caught later by British war
ships or submarines closer to their
North Sea bases was not at once
made clear.
Despite the blows to the two bat
tleships and the cruiser, Alexan-
der warned that the United States
and Britain may be near the be-
ginning of a new period of (surface)
raider activity, both German and
Japanese" after nearly a year of
no mercantile losses from such
craft.
Optimistic Over Future.
Losses out of conveys, the partic-
ular safeguard against submarine
attacks, are just under one-haf of
! per cent of the cargo ships in
volved, he said. The trend of losses,
however, has been seriously affected
by the concentration of German
U-boats of the American coast, he
added.
But even if the increased rate of
shipping losses which began De-
cember 7 should continue, Alex
ander concluded that it should
be more than offset" by the vast
program" of United States ship
building plus the British effort along
that line.
He expressed belief also that the
British and American navies eventu-
ally would surpass the strength
which they could muster when the
Japanese attack began December 7.
In 1941, he said, the Axis lost
nearly twice as much shipping In
maintaining its North African front
as the British did in maintaining
their Near East armies.
At the same time, rounding up
past reports of damage to heavy
British ships, he said the 1880
ton Nelson, the 29,l50-ton Resolu-
ton and the 31,10o-ton Malaga,
along with the 23,OOO-ton aircraft
carriers IlluStriouS and Formidable
had been damaged but are stand
ing up to it,
Full Probe of Losses.
This damage goes back several
months-the Illustrious. for exam
pie, was disclosed of11cially last
August to be under repair in the
United States for a pounding she
suffered in the Mediterranean.
The Admiralty was said to have
arranged full investigation of all
losses of heavy ships since the war
began ito make certain that there
be no question of missing any lesson
large or small which ought to have
been learned and acted upon"
Bespeaking British naval power
in the Mediterranean, Alexander
recalled that in the battle of
Crete the British Navy caused death
by drowning of 5000 German SOL
diers and at the same time rescued
$500 British imperial troops.
Since September, 1899, when the
European war started, British sub
marines have sunk or damaged 1876
ships, including 64 warships, he
went on. The fleet air arm carried
out 100 attacks on warships and
conveys at sea, 200 attacks on ships
in harbors, 260 raids on shore objec-
tives and engaged in 800 air attacks.
Since the start of the war Brit
aims naval planes. have also shot
down or severely damaged 260 air.
craft over the sea and have sunk or
seriously damaged As enemy war
ships and 335, 900 tons of shipping.
While in 194l Britain's volume of
imports exceeded advance esti-
mates, Alexander continued, the
Axis, with only small coastal