Commodities other than oil.
 
          With the close blockade in the west, Germany had done 
 
her best to explore the resources of Turkey and Asia Minor to
 
the fullest. Up till the time of the Greek campaign goods
 
from this area had passed to Germany either by rail on the
 
Orient line from Istanbul or by steamer from Turkish Black
 
Sea ports to Bulgarian and Roumanian ports and thence by rail.
 
The main Orient rail communications were cut during the Greek
 
campaign and coasting traffic in the Black Sea was brought
 
to an end by the outbreak of the Russian hostilities. At a 
 
time, therefore, when Russian goods and goods from the Far
 
East were denied to her, the Axis was also faced with the loss
 
of supplies from Asia Minor which she had taken great trouble
 
to develop. It was not surprising, therefore, to learn that
 
a service between Trieste and Istanbul was being organized
 
as a matter of urgency. So long as the Black Sea is closed
 
it must be assumed that the Axis will do their utmost to
 
develop this service, which is their only transport link with
 
the Near East. There is every indication that this will, in
 
fact, happen, and the road lorry system is being built up in
 
Anatolia to act as a feeder service. The commodities to be
 
carried by this route are principally wool, cotton, oilseeds
 
and tanning materials, all vitally important to Germany's war
 
effort.