1939-06-22 — Page 15

le for the Al- Germany's im- bre the war ly have ended t did. As it

k of the few hich penetrat- riously ham- or a time and ns to organise Unfortunately ction of the date left the unsupported, might have

b little more

he position is ent.

Russia,

surface squa- flotilla of

e capable of

g,

perhaps

SKAGER

(BYL/" NELIBOLAND-

Ostersund

ESLAND

Vaasa-

*Kuopio

FINLAND

LADOGA

Leningrad

Helsingfors

LAND

ESTONIA

B

Pskov

Riga LATVIA

Minsk

RUSSIA

Metre

Polotsk

, LITHUANIA:

Kannas

(ANY)

GERMAN

Poznan

Warsaw POLAND

MLS.

100

200

Northern Germany and the Baltic States.

policy

a standstill, war, she would respect the neu- ing an "offensive” ́ naval between Swe- trality of the Baltic States mention- have appeared in the Russian pap-

ed. con-

ers, including the official organ of

at this

to the Ger- In Russia, indeed, it is accepted the naval staff. de evident by as a foregone conclusion that if The decision to build battleships more import- war broke out Germany would of great size and gun-power as. effect the seizure of the Latvian and soon as circumstances permit, the

journals.

t one of the Estonian coasts by a coup de main, construction of heavy cruisers with man strategy If Russia elected to

7in guns and a wide radius, pursue #

Y

of

IN THE BALTIC

the substitution

of

in the current building programme are facts all pointing in the same direction. It seems clear, there. fore, that the Russian Navy is preparing itself for dynamic opera- tions well outside the confined wat- ers of the Finnish Gulf, a contin- gency which probably accounts for the marked attention now paid in the German Press to Russian naval

preparations.

Use As Natural Bulwark

The Baltic States, as Mr. Got- tlieb has pointed out, constitute the natural bulwark against any Ger- Fin- man advance to the Gulf of land. If successful, such an ad- vance would reduce Russia to a mere cipher in the naval strategi- 'cal sense and cut her off from all access to open water except by way of the White Sea,

the Russian strictly defensive policy at sea she action, and Gulf of Fin- could fairly count on keeping her large ocean-going submarines for it would be fleet intact, since navigational con many of the small coastal U-boats

submarine to ditions in the eastern area of the sea. This aim, Gulf of Finland are such that the achieved un- fleet would be immune to naval at- the use

of tack provided it did not venture to the Gulf of the westward of a line drawn from she does not Narva Bay to the coast of Finland Both Danzig Bold Tactics Advocated mote from the Behind this line minefields and rpose indicat- tortuous channels could be relied on and Riga in to keep enemy warships at a res- and the Dagoe pectful distance, and the only as- ent under Es- sault the Russian Fleet need fear ould be ideal would be from aircraft. What tac- knowing what tics the Russian Baltic Fleet would 3 "objective" pursue in such a war as. I am kein Gebot envisaging is a secret, known only aw) it is diffi- to the naval staff in Moscow. There n the event of are, however, indications from sev- eral quarters that a purely passive attitude would not be adopted.

Last year's "purge" in the high- er command is credibly reported to have been due to disapproval by the

Viewing the position in this Soviet junta of the defensive stra light, since Germany's reoccupa- tegy advocated by the then Com- tion of Memel, it will readily be mander-in-Chief of the Baltic Fleet. recognised that the Baltic States, Moscow desired that the Fleet hitherto relegated to the back- should prepare itself for vigorous ground, may one day assume a new intervention in case of war, and importance in international affairs. that the plan of keeping the Fleet idle in the Bay of Leningrad, sec. ure behind its mine fields and shoals, should be discarded in fav- our of one which postulated an "all in" offensive by every naval arm, with the object of securing either the command of the Eastern Bal- tic or at least of cutting German communications with Scandinavia.

Royal Fu- e at their

In this connection it is not with- out significance that in the past 18- months numerous articles advocat-

By George McManus

FACTS

FOR THE 10 H.P.

MOTORIST

The Vauxhall 10-four is the most. economical Ten in the world: did 43.4 m.p.b. in a recent R.A.C. Trial, Reliability is unquestioned Vauxhall 10-four covered 2,275 miles in The Monte Carlo Rally, without losing a mark.

The Vauxhall 10-four has indepen- dent Springing. Hydraulic Brakes, Controlled Synchromesh, All-Steel Construction.

and

May we demonstrate Vauxhall's fine performance

petrol economy?

VAUXHALL

TRY ALSO THE 12 H.P.

HONG KONG HOTEL GARAGE

Stubbs Rd.

Tel. 27778-9

At the

Repulse Bay Hotel

Geo. Pio-Ulski's String Quintette

DURING SUNDAY TIFFINS

1.p.m. to 2.30 p.m.

A la Carte & Table d'Hote

THE HONG KONG & SHANGHAI HOTELS, LTD.

11 OUTSTANDING FEATURES OF

COMOY'S "WONDER PIPE"

FINEST CIALTY BRUYERE ROOT

| INTERIOR OF BOWL CARBONIZED READY TO SHOKE

FLUID-TIGHT WASHER TRAPS ALL MOISTURE

COOLING CHAMBER

REINFORCED JIONT

(Linbreakable)

FINEST QUALITY MOUTHPIECE (Hand Hade)

THE BITE SPECIALLY

SHAPED FOR PERFECT COMFORT

דין

WHY?

AT-

YOU'LL ALWAYS

HAVE THE

POLICE LOOKIN' FOR HIM BY

MISTAKE-

CLEAR CHANNEL- DELIVERS ONLY

PURE SMOKE

HOND

SAVES TOBACCO-FOR ALL IS ENDKED TO A WHITE ASH ·

INLET FOR SHOKE & NICOTINE

THE BRO

FOKEN CONDUTE, OUTLET FOR SMOKE

COMOYS GRAND SLAM PATENT PIPE

There is a wide range

shapes to choose from at

INGENOHL'S CIGAR STORES "LA PERLA DEL ORIENTE

Page 15Page 16