Regarding mines, "night after night mine-laying aircraft under the cover of darkness drop their deadly Idads fairways and estuaries of our s. Their efforts are supplemented submarines which frequently sow their mines off our coasts. As soon such mine-laying is detected o suspected, the channels affected are closed, shipping is diverted, and minesweepers take up their dangerous Commonwealth of Nations. Our plan and the measures, which we are actually taking, provide a counter to each and every possible method of attack. We have looked very carefully to our most, which is given us by providence. It is now immeasurably better defended, and the ramparts are far higher and broader than they were when the battle of France ended.
The Navy was making its contribution, Mr. Alexander stated, in dis charging the vital task of defending the convoys, carrying large cargoes of invaluable food, raw materials, and military stores of various kinds from all over the world, including America, "to whom we are grateful for the production they are making available."
The First Lord then said: "Grossly exaggerated enemy claims, concern-
Alexander paid a tribute to the resolution, seamanship, and endurance of the anti-invasion patrols which are operating constantly and in all kinds of weather.
The First Lord had a few words to say also on the Mediterranean situation "The problem of the Mediterranean has undeniably been increased by the loss of French ce-operation and French bases," he said. "Nevertheless, We are pursuing, and with suc cess, a policy of striking persistently at Italian territory whenever and wherever we can.
"The Royal Air Force has already nullified very considerably the preparations, which the Italians have been making at their bases in East Africa and Eastern Libya.
(Continued on page 2, col. 4
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.