WASHINGTON: The slowdown in Arab oil supply has denied the US military nearly half of its petroleum supplies and forced it to invoke a little-used Act giving it priority over civilian users, the Pentagon said. ... [An of ficial] said the Defence Department would have to make up its losses of 300,000 barrels oil a day from domestic supplies. ... The White House, meanwhile, announced today [Nov 16] that President Nixon`s special Boeing-707, `Spirit of 76` will cut its speed down to 475 miles per hour to save Petrol and set a good example. ...

InBrussels meanwhile, the US Agriculture Secretary ... said yesterday that it would be `completely impractical` for the US to halt food shipments to Arab nations in retaliation for the oil embargo. `Our food shipments to the Arabs are not large, and the Soviet Union could make up any shortfalls,` he pointed out. However, US Vice-President designate Gerald Ford said ... the United States should be prepared to ban food and technological exports to Arab nations if necessary to counter the oil cut-off. `We cannot give away our assets without some quid pro quo if the chips are down and the other side does not cooperate,` Mr Ford [said]. News agencies