In all this very keen and stern warfare, the Royal Air Force and the Fleet Air Arm have played an important past, both in directing hunt Ing destroyers and is actually attacking, U-boats themselves."
Mr, Churchill explained that was to bridge the gap between what Britain had ready at the beginning of the war and what it had. ready now that the Admiralty decided 10 use ireraft-carriers with some freedom, marder to. Dung "in unarmed, Unorganized and tneonvoyed trate then approaching British shores in Jarge numbers. "Rlsks had to be run all-the time in naval warfare, and Sometimes a grievous forfeit was ex-
"The Courageous," "he said, "was attended by four destroyers, but two hhad''to hunt a U-boat attacking a merchant ship coming towards Eng~ fang, and when the Courageous turn-od into the wind at duke to tenable Hous her own aircraft to land upoty the Yanding deck, she happened, by what may have been a 100-1 chance more, to meet a U-boat in her un= predictable course, "But this hard stroke in no way diminishes our. confidence in the methods now at our disposal, On the contrary, our confidence in them has grown with every day that they been employed, and 1 believe their potency' Wil become more apparent {in preparation as rear number of new vessels come into action and our hunting emeers yet" the. knack Using' depth charges by frequent practice.
British World Trade Goes On "Therefore, 1 cannot feel, at the fend of the first three weeks of naval Warfare, that the judgment formed the' Admiralty before the war about these now methods stands any need of revision, except perhaps ina" favourable sense. -Meanschile, the whole vast business of our world trade. continues without interruption and without prospect of diminution, "Great convoys of troops are escorted to various destinations, and enemy ships and commerce have been Swept from the seas." Over 2,000,000
In the frst week of the war, the First Lord stated, Britain lost 65,000 tons of shipping, in the second week, 46,000, in the third week 21,000, and {in the last six days 9,000 (cheers). Mr. "Churchill then. reiterated the caution against over-sanguine deductons.
However, he continued, "we have now got more supplies in this country than we should have had if no war had been declared and it no U-boats had come into action. At that rat Will take a long time to. sti "From time (0 time German U-boat commanders have tried their best to Behave with humanity. We have seen them give good warning, and also endeavour to help crews find their way to port.
"One German captain signalled to me personally the position of a ship Which he had just sunk. Me signed hhis message 'German submarine' I was in some doubt at the time as to what address I should direct my reply. However, he is now in our hands (laughter) and Is being treated with all consideration "hear, hear).
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.