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BOAT

BOAT

BOA

The

W

ITH Sicily at its toe, the long Italian peninsula divides the Mediterranean into a western and eastern basin, joined by a comparatively narrow channel between

Amid the din of totalitarian Sicily and Africa, in the boastings and the welter of middle of which stands the diplomatic offensives, the signi- fortified Italian island of ficance of the trade agreement Pentellaria. between Britain and Spain should not, be lost sight of.

For many months Spain in her domestic travail occupied the centre of the European picture.

Many believed that she would be one of the main battlefields

of the next Great War,

She has been spared that fate, and is quietly getting on with the tasks of reconstruction, anxious only to cultivate the arts of peace.

The main purpose of the agreement with Britain is to re- establish the trade relations that obtained before the civil war.

This is assuredly as much in Spain's interest as in Britain's; for a long time we, have been one of her best customers. Full details of the treaty are not yet available, but it is expected that they will reveal substantial ad- vantages also to this country.

General Franco has not shown

All the French naval bases lic in the western basin, Toulon bé- ing the main fleet base. The British Mediterranean Flect has two forlified bases, one at Gibral- tar and the other at Malta.

In a war in which Italy and Britain were involved on op- posite sides, Gibraltar would be usable by the fleet unless, of course, Spain also joined in. In that event, the naval harbour is casily commanded by long range guns from the Spanish side of the bay, and air attack from ad. joining Spanish territory would be easy.

PORTUGAL

BOAT

BOAT

BOAT

BOAT

-Strube in the "Daily ExpreRE"

Mediterranean

Situation

The British Government has ordered shipping normally using the Mediterranean route 1p. divert to the Cape. This article explaina, very simply, just what are the present problems and anxieties of the Admiralty in the inland sea.

SPAIN

Miles

300

ALGERIA

(Fr.)

Rame

Commander

by Russell Grenfell

ITALY

formerly on the staff of the Royal Naval College, Greenwich, and an acknowledged

DRIATICA

authority on naval strategy.

BULGARLIEBLA CK

REECE

istanbul

RKEY

“SARDINIA”

SICILY:

CORFU (Greter)

Tunes,

falta Br.)

RRA

EGYP

TUNISIA

Tripali

ITALIAN

LIBYA

CYPRUS

This need not mean that the just as close to the Turkish steam and motor torpedo-boats, in combination, the prospects pro very fortress would be lost. On the mainland as Malta is to the all of which small classes of ship the satisfactory; always provided that the base is reasonably, Italians possess a large superiority, British Fleet contrary, there is every reason to Italian, and would presumably,

Opinions differ as to whether it secure. think that it would be a very therefore, be just as subject to would be possible to force a passage In the larger classes of warskiy,.

hard nut to crack.

the-

air attack, should Turkey happen for merchant shipping in the face of and taking the British Mediterranean. The only land approach is over to be on the wrong side, as she such opposition, but there is no doubt Fleet at its present strength, a narrow and perfectly flat sandy probably would. neck, entirely overlooked by ob- servers on the Rock.

.

carer to the democracies' point an island, but it is only 40 odd less of warships.

that to to so would occupy the whole French and British have six battle- attention, of the British Fleet and ships to the Italians' two, two air- serlously hamper its offensive opera- craft carriers to the Italians' none, ten tiona.

. heavy and nine lighter cruisers to the In the event of a Mediterranean war, the main British defensive In view of the extremely promising Italians' seven and 18, and 04 do commliment would be the mainten results to be expected of offensive stroyers to the Italians 59, about 30 As a defensive position, ance of the shipping route through action, it is, therefore highly desir. of the French destroyers being par Gibraltar is exceedingly strong,

that sea. If both Italy and Spain able that the Fleet should be freed ticularly large and powerful ships.

In the face of this combination, were against us, those routes would of the embarrassment of the Medi-

Italy is vulnerable indeed. Of her a disposition to complicate com-zines and shelters cut deep into two places.

and the galleries, tunnels, muga- be chiefly liable to interruption at terraneon trame.

Fortunately, this traffic is not un total imports, 85 per cent, are sca Mércial questions with inter-the rock give it many points of

One would be at Gibraltar. Al- ficavy as many people think. British borne, and about 70 per cent, como national polities,

resemblance to the alcazar at though it has often been spoken of supplies.coming through the Suez through either the Suez Canal or the In any case, it is probable that Toledo, which Spaniards should with particular concern, this western Canal average only about 12 per cent. Straits of Gibraltar. Almost certain- menace is not the most serious one, of the total, and for them thero is ly the whole of this 85 per cent. could

be cut off, and with them would go. the course of events in the last be the first to appreciate.

Guns' overlooking the Straits of the alternative Cape route. Malta is not very differently Gibraltar could not effectively prevent

Trade with countries inside the the Italian communications with eight months has brought him placed to Gibraltar. Truc, it is the passage of merchant ships, still Mediterranean comes to another 10 Abyssinia and probably with Libya.

But the Italy has a particularly long coast per cent, or thereabouts. The narrow part of the Straits is so main thing is that there are no Brl- line with many Important towns on of view than to that of Germany. miles from Sicily and is there. short, and the coasts open out so tish supplies passing Gibraltar that the dea shore. Should it unfortunate- fore exposed to air attack in war steeply cach aide of It, that even a cannot be obtained, if necessary, from ly happen that air hombing of cliles Hitler's pact with Bolshevism to an extent that would probably slow ship could pass the dangerous elsewhere.

causes a deterioration in warlike con- would was a severe shock to Madrid-prohibit its use as a naval base, area during the dark hours,

As regards France, the threat to her ventions, these coast towns more serious danger would be an sea routes with North Africa from a fall an easy prey to warships' guns. That, at all events, was the

If Spoln Balceric as to Rome,

is more self-supporting attack from the southern Spanish hostile occupation of the opinion silently expressed by the coast to the eastward of the Straits; Islands is hardly as bad as is fre- then Italy, she too, Is peculiarly ex- posed to maritime pressure. With n Mediterranean Flect on the occa- This, however, would lack the co- quently urged.

Those routes can be reached well superior British fleet on her Atlantic sions of the erines of 1985 and ordination with other forms of allock

peeled farther east.

Italy and Sardinia, and the fact that Mediterranean and with France It and went to Alexandrio. But

the self making the only other frontier,. The other and more serious danger some of the ships might use evacuation does not necessarily point is the channel between Bielly Balearic Islands ought not to make her trade, would be cut off as clean.

that area, ships very much difference. THE Expeditionary Force Institutes imply capture. An Italian land- and Afrien. In

would

be exposed to a concentrated have received these orders from unitsing would be a difficult and attack by Italian aircraft rendered all

hazardous operation.

the more formläsble by the fact that Alr attack from the stands would What could she gain? Possibly in France for the troops' fare:-

The Italian bases are natural- the predominance of the German Air also serve to intensify an existing Gibraltar. But while Spanish guna: Turkeys, 50,000lb. | Pork, 50,000lb.

ly mostly in Italy, Sicily and Force in Europe would presumably danger, rather than create a new one, were pounding at the Rock, French

bestow on the Italians locat Creese, 1,000lb.

the Straits would be 1 Sprouts, 0,0001b. Sardinia, but Italy has a small superiority over the French in South Balearic Islands are within comfort- covering the advance of the French

Nor should we forgot that the guns across Chickens, 7501b. | Potatoes, 20 tons. base at Tobruk in Libya and a Mediterranean waters.

ablo bombing range of bolli France North Africa furmy into Spanish- For dessert these items will be "secret" island base at Leros in. needed: nuts, 27,000lb.; apples, 00, the Dodecanese (north-west of

fore be made nearly, ou unhealthy' na' print participation in the war neems to offer very little advantage 00016.; dates, 1,500 boxes; oranges, Rhodes), whero no foreigner is. Moreover, this air attack could be Malta.

accompanied by the operations of

When we turn to consider the offen- to Italy, though it might be of adu allowed to land. This baso is large numbers of submarines and of alve possibilities of the Anglo-French vantage to Germany

TROOPS, STUFF FOR USE OF

105,000; banarius, 20,000.

1938, when it evacuated. Maith which, as we shall see, is to be ex- enough from Itailan naval bases in coasts, a superior French fleet on her

*

ng a whistle,

and, North Africa, and might there- Morocco.

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