THE CHINA MAIL, APRIL 16, 1940
NAZI
NAVAL
Page
LOSSES
Raeder Nearly Admiral Without A Navy
Significant
BRITISH
Silence In Berlin LANDING: NAZI
Communiques||
(SPECIAL TO “CHINA MAIL")
Paris, To-day. "Admiral Raeder may soon find himself an Admiral without a Navy,” comment semi-official circles in Paris, pointing out that so far at least 40 per cent. of the German Navy's total of ships in ser- vice has been put out of action.
COMMENT
Berlin, To-day.
The claim that no Briton - has touched Norwegian soil "at points. occupied by German troops" is made in a. German news.agency report from Oslo.
The agency also claims to have learned from Narvik that Narvik la still in German hands-Reu tor.
The German communiques content themselves MOTIVE OF
chiefly with making kindly reference to the valour of German seamen:
that the Gorman navy has
Italian sources confirm the news of admit the destruction of the 26,000-ton suffered heavy losses, they deny these are anything like as big as the British battleship Greisenau.-Havas.
claim. Router.
Usual Tactics
Berlin, To-day. The Germans are resorting to their usual tactics in order to cover up losses. The evening papers on Sun- day contained allegations about de- fenceless German sailors at Narvik
being shot at in the water.
The accounts did not say how the the sailors came to be in the water - Germans have not published anything about German losses. at Narvik and merely mention, that strong British forces are blockading the port.
British Losses: Official
London, To-day.
four destroyers, it was affirmed in an
authoritative quarter in London when questioned about the German claim that British losses were at least four battleships, eight cruisers and 11 des troyers.
NEW NAZI AGGRESSION
London, To-day.
In speculation on the mo- British naval losses in the North tive inspiring Germany's in- Sea operations since April 8 are only vasion of Denmark and Nor- way, stress has been laid in some quarters on what were stated to be augmented stores of petrol in Denmark as well as the Danish food supplies Authorities on fuel questions in Bri- tain are not inclined to place very high Germany's gains in petrol.
Total supplies available in Denmark
Reuter.
Nazis Begin To Talk... Of Difficulties
Brussels, To-day
ESTIMATE OF NAZI FLEET REMNANT
London, To-day.
Now that more detailed re- ports are available of the naval action in Norwegian waters, it is possible to give a fair estimate of what part of the German Fleet as it existed at the beginning of the war is now left capable of action.
Authoritative London naval circles express the opinion that the effective strength of the German Fleet now con- sists of one battle cruiser,
1
possibly one pocket hattleship, one light cruiser,
11 destroyers and '
half that number of U-boats.
Of her two battle cruisers, the Gnei- Norwegians and the Scharnhorst ›was
senau has been claimed as sunk by the seriously damaged by the Renown.
With the Graf Spee scuttled and the Admiral Scheer torpedoed, there only Deutschland left of the pocket-battle- ships and she has suddenly become the Lutzow, leaving the former pame to be given one of the new battleships recently launched.
At time of the announcement, the German practice of handing on the names of sunken ships to new vessels was recalled.
HIPPER CLASS
A more intelligent attempt to pre- pare the Germans for bad news is made by the "Frankfurter Zeitung," The German press is ready begin are put by one writer at 200,000 tons, which warns its readers that the Bri-ning to talk of the difficulty of opera-equal only to a fortnight's German tish Nayy is strong and that when tions in Norway. the attack comes it will be conducted "Der Montag" says: "We must rec-peace-time consumption. If this figure with the armest détermination."
kon: on further continuation of British is compared with the generally ac- cepted, estimate that in the Polish
Of the two heavy cruisers, one later:: The paper says, however, that the attacks against Narvik.” air force is the really important fac-
The Nazi paper adds: "The German campaign the Germans used 21⁄2 mil- tor and that the German Fleet has High Command knew the war in Nor- lion tons of petrol in 3 weeks, it is
be child's seen to represent a very minor addi-announced by the German Command:
thought this announcement was pro behind it the strongest air force in the thern Europe would not that half-of the German Fleet has without losses and without the mas-and it should be remembered also that been sunk nor that the RAF and sive use of all Germany's arms." Fleet Air Arm have already had re-Reuter. markable successes in Norway. Reuter.'
world. The paper does not mention play. Such action cannot be assuredtion to the resources of the aggressor/as the Blucher. has been sunk, but” it:·
1,500 Dead In Gneisenau (SPECIAL TO "CHINA MAIL")"
Stockholm, To-day. Reports from the Swedish coast confirm that the Admiral Scheer has been torpedoed, one rumour, for which there is no confirmation, stat- ing the pocket-battleship has sunk.
It is confirmed from Norway that when the Gneisenau was sunk the Nazis lost 1,500 men.
Scandinavian experts estimate the tonnage lost by Germany, not-includ-. ing the Admiral Scheer, as 30 per cent. of the total Fleet tonnage. Havas.
Public Uninformed (BPECIAL TO "CHINA MAIL"). Berne, To-day.
The Berlin press has not yet in- formed the German public of the loss of more than one-third of the fleet of German destroyere at Narvik. German official communiques men- tion the operations but declare that. the British and German: losses cannot. yet be estimated. -
The radio propaganda goes: further, stating that the "British naval might was a myth.It is England, and not Germany, who was forced to with- draw her ports."-Havas,
Note, Of Jubilation Disappears
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OFF THE RECORD
Here's Luck
|if Germany seized the whole of this,
(Continued at foot of Next Col.)
By ED REED.
TOLL BRIDGE PAY TOLL HERE
wife 1
10¢
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Tel 30311
bably made to cover the loss of Grei- senau, and the Blucher or another Hip- per Class vessel which has been sunk as well,
One light cruiser was sunk by Ur- sula in December, one was hit by a same torpedo, from Salmon in the month in circumstances which raise a strong presumption that she sank, one. was sunk by a submarine on April 8, one was hit by one bomb off Bergen on April 9, the Karlsruhe was sunk on April 10, one was hit by three bombs on April 10, leaving, probably, one of this type still serviceable..
Germany had 22 destroyers, of which 11 were definitely sunk, with a strong probability of two or three more.
TRANSPORT LOSBES
In the week April 8 to 14, - nine-. teen German transport supply ships. were destroyed and one of. 8,514 tons. and three trawlers been captured. Other transports have been bombed. and at least 2.convoys torpedoed, but the precise details are as yet lacking. - It is probable that certain Nazi ships which were building at the be- ginning of the war are now in com- mission, but such naval strength as Germany had is gravely impaired.--- British Wireless.
Danish agriculture would be depriv ed of motor power and would be un able to supply Germany.
Moreover, to come by this"! store Germany has been involved i campaign which is costing a heav penditure in petrol.
Incidentally, Germany is rep
experiencing great difficulty
Rumphian oil owing of the ube --British