A thousand tons of food and 160 tons of general cargo reached Berlin by barge yesterday morning. This was the first bulk shipment of food to reach the city since the Soviet authorities closed the zonal frontier on the night of June 18. The ten barges which arrived yesterday left Hamburg on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday last week. There is no news of their exact whereabouts, but this evening they had not yet reached Brandenburg, about fifty miles from Berlin by water.
Thirteen Dakotas of the R.A.F. Transport Command, carrying forty tons of supplies, arrived at Gatow to-day, in addition to the normal R.A.F. and commercial services. The Soviet authorities are also arranging for special imports from unusual sources. The stoppage of coal supplies from the West has compelled them to import coal from Poland and the first trainload of 1,000 tons arrived at the Klingenberg power station, in their sector, this afternoon.
REOPENING OF RAILWAY LINE
Persistent rumours have been current here in the last few days that the Berlin-Helmstedt railway line would be opened this evening. They were denied late this evening by a Russian official spokesman. He stated that the Soviet authorities had no knowledge of this reopening of the railway line beyond a message received from a London news agency. Nevertheless the transport authorities in Magdeburg recently announced that the line would be opened to-morrow. The Soviet authorities have also refused to grant visas to a number of Swedish citizens, until June 29. The situation remains obscure at the moment.
Inhabitants of the Western sectors were able to draw extra rations to-day in the form of prunes and Army ╥C╙ ration packs. These extra rations have been issued in accordance with a decision made earlier in the month by the food committee of the Allied Kommandatura.
The high prices still being paid for Deutschemarks are already beginning to drive them out of circulation. Wages in the Western sectors may soon be paid partly in Eastern marks. The shortage of Deutschemarks in the city is likely to compel the Western Allies to take this decision before long. Their financial experts are also considering the revision of the regulations covering payment for essential goods and services in the Western sectors.
The trade in Deutschemarks continues as briskly as ever, although the price has fallen slightly to-day. The Soviet authorities have now begun to carry out searches for Deutschemarks in their sector but seem to have made few actual arrests. An official Russian spokesman to-day refused to comment on reports that Deutschemarks were being bought by and on behalf of the Soviet authorities, but said that ╥speculation╙ in the new currencies was likely to continue for a fortnight or three weeks.
