Ships For Trade
The destruction of merchant shipping since the war opened, whether by ordinary marine casualty on by U-boat, mine, bombing aeroplane or raider, has reached a total of upwards of 5,000,000 tons. Those ships were engaged in carrying the trade of the producers and consumers of- the world, for shipping is an in- ternational industry; whoever pays the freight, as fixed by com- petition, has the call on cargo space, irrespective of the flag of the ship.
It is not only British shipping which has been destroyed in the war at gen, but shipping under the flag of Norway, Holland, France, Greece, Sweden, Poland,
By
Sir Archibald Hurd
Belgium, Estonia, Panama, Fil- land, Portugal and Spain, Even the merchant navy of Japan has suffered some loss, while the Geri mans and Italians have scuttled nearly one hundred of their own vessels of 460,000 tons in order that they might not be captured.
There is a shortage of shipping. Little tonnage is being built on the Continent of Europe, the cockpit of the war. So the in- mediate task of making good the loss of shipping falls to the ship- builders of the British Isles, the United States and Japan. In the last year of peace, the shipyards of the United States had an out- put of only 163,000 tons, while those of Japan were responsible for 442,000 tons, a total of about 600,000 tons. The Japanese ship- builders may maintain their peacetime rate of building `though they are suffering from a lack of material, and the Americans will certainly greatly increase theirs. It may be estimated that these two countries will put into the water in the coming year not more than one million tons, towards the replacement of the four mill- ion tons to which I have referred.
The building of merchant ships is of the first military purpose to the British people since they live in an island and are more depen- dent on overseas supplies than any other people. British ship-
Always Watching though every time his hand goes accompany them in the mess are to mouth he does not draw at missing and instead there is pow- The pilot has to rely on those yards were never so busy as to- this marette between the longer and ability and the knowledge words, not just to make his own day. The craftsmen are going to There has been ingers of his lean, decisive hand. that comes from experience. contact with the enemy, but for it with a will.
no talk of strikes. Work goes on concise orders "Fly on his own safety. this course at that height"-are After twisting and turning in a smoothly and swiftly, though the "black-out" creates lighting dif- given, and the system by which dog-fight
of his where-ficulties, and there are air raids. they are transmitted is economi- may not be sure If there is a single ribbon be-
cal of time and effort at under-abouts.
Every shipbuilding establish- neath the wings he wears it will standing.
Without the controller to watch ment is necessarily on the coast probably be that of the DFC.
But the pilot knows and under- his every move and be ready to with one side open to the sea. The job he is doing carries the
stands and would not have it J. E. Wittenbach's argu- rank of Squadron Leader; but it
guide him home after the battle It can therefore be subjected to otherwise. It is the knowledge he will be lost, perhaps run out surprise attack not only by men- ment that spiritual light it more than likely that he held that the voice is there that mat- of petrol or fly into the side of a of-war but by bombs from the.
the rank before he took on the ters to him, not the opportunity hill as
in The shipbuilders
the. is a necessary prelimin-job, held it when he led his squa- for conversation.
he comes down through air.
British Isles are now in the front ary armament against dron into the melee above Dun-
They are picked men to whom
He may have engine failure and line of the war. At any moment, the new paganism.
In the absence of vigilant de... And if it was not at Dunkirk, thinking in terms of air conditions have to force-land hurriedly, or
fence, aeroplanes may swoop in According to accounts it was on the Scottish and North is first nature, men who have a
as has happened more than once, from the sea and bomb or ma- when it comes to he may be shot down over the sea chine-gun the workers and then from England, the maj- were met and sent about
East coasts, where the first raiders sixth sense
their knowing just when and where the and have to bale out beyond sight
disappear. ority of the British people business, that he learned to ins-interception of a raiding bomb of watchers on the coast.
should take place so that the have already risen high
battle can be joined: enough in mental altitude Still "In The Air" to have no desire for re-
To-day, the job he is doing is venge alter the war. on the ground; but, despite the When hostilities cease, it apparent paradox, he is still in is
the air. is fairly to be expected No fighter pilot flies without
In their hands alone as the that this enlightened out-him, and the comforting know-
ledge that he exists to be talked interpretation of the probable look will help bring about to and listened to.
direction that will be taken by a a settlement based on What is more, no fighter pilot raider reported by the chain of
can fly without him and the or-observer posts. sincere striving towards ganisation he stands for, if that justice and self-govern- ment for all.
pire confidence.
be.
Link With Observers
Their knowledge of navigation quick and accurate. It has to
Will he turn left or right? is fighter is to do his job properly the question perpetually in their minds while they work and send the fighters off on a carefully qalculated course and at a speed and height that should make hunter and hunted meet ́ even
though cloud obscures the sky,
with the minimum of effect and the maximum of despatch.
They call him “Controller." At Many people remember
least, that is his official title. : too well the reaction from But more often than not he is the first World War. The only thought of as a voice break
ing in upon the solitude and chat- jazzy living, the reckless tering noises of a Spitfire or Hur They sit in a control-room at spending, the cynicism, ricane, cockpit, six and seven miles fighter stations, a room so con
above the earth, where nothing structed and protected from the loosening of moral can be seen below but the ap-bombs that someone once irre standards. It is possible, parently interminable snowfield verently referred to one as a
that is the sunswept tops of cloud- "padded cell!??" banks,
His only hope of being found
These shipbuilders are reinforc- quickly is to describe his plight into his microphone as his last acting the British Fleet and are re-
the placing before leaving his machine,
merchant
tonnage
Their task
It is then the speed with which which has been sunk by U-boat,
mine and aeroplane. the listening controller can put
is one of unparalleled proportions. rescue arrangements into the operation that matters.
In the unhappy conditions which Not so long ago a young pilot now prevail the main burden of was picked up out of the sea by a
maintaining this international motor-boat speedily dispatched in
transport industry rests on the this way.
craftsmen of the shipyards of the British Isles. Though the ships When he walked into the mess they send to sea will fly the Bri- the next day it was some mo-tish flag, they will be used for ments before anyone noticed him. the carriage of the goods of all Then the controller who had the world. If they failed, not only been on duty when he was shot would the trade of the British peo- down caught sight of him.
Just A Drink "Hullo, you're back! Dry yet?" was his greeting. "More or less," came the answer as the Controller put his finger on a bell and made a suggestion about a sherry which called forth a protest: "No sir. This one's on me.""
"Why?" The question came quickly and a trifle too obviously. There was a hint of more than natural surprise in it.
"Well, sir, I rather thought.
ple be reduced in volume, but other peoples would not be able to reach the best market in which to sell their produce. So these British ship-builders are engaged in very necessary tasks in the ultimate interest of everyone everywhere.
It would be a world disaster if the shipping which is now being sunk were
not replaced in the That was a misnomer, since,
shortest possible
time. Cargoes though the control room is the
all over the world could not be nerve-centre of fighter operations,
carried to those who want them.... there is never pandemonium.
and, therefore, the producers of Instead, there is an atmosphere I mean, sir. It's my turn," the the goods would be without the of competency as facts about the pilot managed after a pause in means of living, Want, if not weather and visibility and all the which they did not eye one an- starvation, would be the lot of many routing matters that go to other.
millions of people in both hemisp-1. putting a Aghter pilot into the air “That's different,” the Controller heres who have no wish but to and bringing him down again are said.
live peacefully and usefully, gathered ing
- Then abruptly and a little working hard in producing the en-Together they make a picture forcely: Perhaps it'll teach you things, which other nations; less of the situation for the Controller, not to put the fear of God into blossed by nature, urgently so that the few crisp, words helme another time,”..
Irequire
however, that some false states of society which
Terse, But Friendly were ushered in by the last war may be ushered His remarks, when they are out by this one. Yet even
heard, in the wireless earphones) Britain's triumph will en-aggression and barbarity tail a further challenge, a lies the task of so estab call for higher living and lishing the brotherhood thinking. For beyond the of man that peace will necessity of turning back dure.
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