"New York, Nov. 14.
"The crippling of Italy's fleet blow that will be heard round. the world," declares the "New York Times," commenting on the action at Taranto.
"It must be galling to Mussolini," the newspaper adds, to see his proudest -battleships disabled, his crack, regiments decimated in Greece and his supply ships and transports, sunk on his very doorstep.
"The spirit of Nelson and Drake is awake again. It cannot fail to bring new confidence to the British people in their ultimate triumph over the enemy."
The "New York Herald Tribune" says the thunder of bombs at Taranto harbour will echo around the Mediterranean, and over the Atlantic. "It will be heard in far away Tokyo, while it will reverberate in all Balkan capitals. It will penetrate the massive walls of the Ktemlin and reach even into the marble splendour of Hitler's chancellery.
"Here," the "Herald Tribune" continues "is a success magnificent in its dash and spectacular in its proportions, The effects of Taranto may well be tremendous. It will raise British prestige immensely in Turkey and the Bslkans, it is likely to confirm General Franco in his hesitations, and should strengthen the free French forces throughout Africa."—Reuter, form Al^juccessful bombardment was carried out against Sidi Barrani on the night of November 10, the Admiralty announced.
Italian shore batteries returned fire but the British ships escaped undamaged and without suffering casualties, the Admiralty said.
A British submarine also recently attacked an Italian convoy of two ships, escorted by a destroyer. One of the supply ships, of about 3,000 ions was sunk and the other was damaged and probably sank, the Admiralty said:
Location of the submarine attack was not given—United Press.
Power Balance Changed London; Nov. 14.
Not only the situation in the Mediterranean had been transformed by a single swift naval action, but the balance of sea power throughout the Oceans of the world had been decisively altered, declared the First-Lord of the Admiralty, Mr. A. V. Alexander, in a broadcast.
The Italian battle fleet's numerical superiority, he said, had been reduced te inferiority. Here was fulfilment of the pledge made to Greece. Mr. Alexander declared that the action would depress boastful Mussolini, who
beaten—Reuter, pow know that he was going to
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.