The list announced by the Treasury today represents the preliminary mobilization of certain securities with an active market. In no case do the securities requisitioned form a big proportion of the total number of outstanding securities of the companies concerned.
It is believed that the recent uncertainty has been worse for the United States market than the knowledge now given that the British Treasury has a definite long-range plan. Only a small proportion of the total securities available is now requisitioned and the present list excludes several important market counters, This Norwegian port is ice-free all the year round and is also close to the Kiruna iron mines. Therefore two-thirds of Sweden's iron ore exports go via Narvik and the North Sea, while only one-third goes through the Baltic.
While the Allied fleets cannot exercise contraband control in the Baltic, they do exercise complete control over the North Sea. It has been said that if Germany can secure iron from Sweden, she can prolong her resistance. If the Allies stop this line of supply, they are bound to be victorious soon after.
Another ex-prisoner, George Johnston of the Newton Beach, also sunk by the German warship, produced copies of statements made to the Newton Beach crew by the commander of the Graf Spee, and by the commander of the Altmark to the prisoners on his ship.
The first statement said: "We, the German people, wish to have peaceful relations with the English nation, but owing to your country declaring war on mine, I am forced to take your ship as a prize of war to defend our honour and living."
The Altmark commander's state-
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Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.