Puge 6
Here's a beer with a true English flavour..
ΟΥ APPOINTMENT TO
MM THE KING
LIHM
And you'll be the first to realine why, the mo. ment you taste this ace of ales, keon with the with the flavour of ripe Baltring hops, mellow unique richness of Norfolk Barley Malt.
of best
the batter You'll find Whitbread's the beers a brew that is perfect down to the fast refreshing drop.
Ask for WHITBREAD'S
Superb English ALES
Sole Agents-A. S. WATSON & CO., LTD.
WINE DEPT.
CHATER ROAD.
TEL. 20616.
GEO. FALCONER & CO., LTD.
UNION BLDG. OPP. G.P.O. EST. 1855
Specialists in
Repairing Watches, Clocks, Chronometers All repairs are carried through in our own workshop under European Supervision. Binoculars and Technical Instruments.
In the
HONG KONG HOTEL
DINNER DANCE
With Nick Korin & His 8wing Band NIGHTLY 9 P.M. TILL 1 A.M. SATURDAYS EXTENSION 2 A.M.
TEA DANCE
SATURDAYS & SUNDAYS 5 TILL 7 P.M.
SHANGHAI HOTELS, LTD.
THE HONG KONG &
Fireside
Comfort
On the dullest, coldest day there's sunshine in the room where there's
a gas fire. Its healthy, glowing warmth has been acclaimed by the medical profession as artificial "sun-heat." The sun on tap in fact. See the new gas fires at the showrooms to-day.
GAS
THE CHEAPEST HEAT ON TAPA.
Write, Call or Phone
THE HONG KONG & CHINA GAS CO., LTD.
Central Showroom-
Gloucester Bldg., (Corner of East Arcade); Tel. 24704.
Kowloon Showroom-
240, Nathan Rd., (Corner of Jordan Rd.). Tel. 57341.
THE CHINA MAIL, FEBRUARY 1, 1941.
INDO-CHINA SAID NEAR COLLAPSE
RELIABLE ADVICES received in Manila by "The Associated Press" through a traveller from Saigon indicate that French Indo-China to-day may be compared to a sick and thirsty man riding a lame camel across a burning desert toward an uncertain waterhole.
The story about the French colony's present position runs this way:
The Indo-China government, virtually stripped of all power by the Japanese, hounded by da ly de- mands from the Japanese for ad- ditional concessions, and demor- alised by the events transpiring in Europe, is composed of men broken in spirit who are stumbing along from day to day over a wus- teland towards an oasis which, in their minds, is Anerican and British aid.
Indo-China finds itself involved in an undeclared war with Tha- land (Siam) with only six month's supply of amn.unition to supply a poorly trained army composed of disloyal foreign legions troops, anti-French natives and untrained
mobilised civiliana.
Faces Economic Ruin
when all
Siamese have better warplanes and other fighting equipment but that they are poorly trained. The pilot sald the French coloni. al air force was desperately in need of 'planes.
French con- Following official
that many firmation of reports Japanese ships have carried huge munitions to 21 point stocks of near Bangkok where it is being stored, many circles believe that Japan is preparing for a drive upon Singapore from the Burma and Malaya states by land using her navy only to land troops along the Burma and Malaya coasts in order to keep open the road routes the same time possibly and at taking over Saigon and using the airfield there as a base for long- range bombers on four-hour flights to bomb Singapore.
A
TOO MANY GIFTS FROM U.S.
Gifts from America to people in Britain are taking up too much valuable ship- ping space, which is needed for necessities. So it has been decid- ed to set up a com- mittee under the chairmanship of Sir Ronald Lindsay, till recently British Am- bassador in Washing- ton, to advise on offers of gifts from America, and to decide in which cases shipping space can be made availa- ble.
DANGEROUS POWDER THE MEN
FOUND BY SOS WHO BOMB
GERMANY
Here is a pen picture of
Besides fucing the prospect of northern Indo-China, and in fact all of Indo-China, being taken over by the Japanese, which even the French admit is very possible without French oppositam, atici facing the day Soon munitions may be shot away in al An SOS broadcast appealing single month should heavy fighting for the return of a metal con- develop, and with a 30-plane airtainer with dangerous powder in- force and 110 replacements side which had been picked up available, the French colony faces during an enemy air raid, was virtual ruin in the economic field answered within afteen minutes. Exports, vital {:> her life, have
The SOS stated that during an been blocked by the British and!
enemy air raid, a metal container, German-controlled Vichy block-believed to have been painted red. ades with the Japanese possibly i completing the trade
slaughter when she forres, by current Tokyo negotiations, her goods into Indo- China without duty and takes goods from the colony paying for ly came from the container, was! We have to bolster
them yen.
The only bright side of the dis- mal situation is the negotiations under way at Singapore and Hong Kong whereby Indo-China may
with resume trade
British ports which, if agreed upon, means that Indo-China will be forced to cut relations with Vichy which signed a treaty with Germany declaring that the colony could not trade with British ports. If the trade is resumed there is a possibility thatį munitions from India will come through Singapore to Indo-China. Fail To Get U.S. 'Planes
The French colony has been at- templing desperately
buy American aeroplanes but so far has failed.
to
So uncertain is the Indo. China government regarding the future that reliable informants claim members of the govern. ment do not know whether they will return to Hanol after a six-week stay In their Saigon winter quarters.
Most observers feel that the situation of Indo-China is in the
lap of the gods who control the war in Europe and the attitude of the American government. It is believed that only America is in position to halt the Japanese and the Siamese.
Oldtimers in Indo-China, includ- ing French officials, admit that the French colony has only itself to blame for the present situation as she had every opportunity to de- velop and fortify herself during
boom days but available funds were spent for elaborate buildings and other non-essential projects.
tant.
a night bomber crew given by a squadron- leader.
Front Gunner: Age 19, shout, was picked up in the Beckenham of wisecracks when there are n
He is the hu- Jerries to shoot at. strict by a boy, thought to be an errand boy or
inorist aboard. a builder's ass's-
Pilat Officer: A racing motorist He is so short that in civil life.
him up with cushions to reach the controls.
Navigator: A young chemist from Leeds. He has flaming red hair, a broad Yorkshire accent and cool efficiency.
"Some powder, which apparent-
examined and is believed to be dangerous," it was added.
SWAM AMID BOMB During the Dunkirk evacuation, First-class Stoker Brian Gaughan, of Dunbar, East Lothian, stripped naked, swam a quarter of a mile and rescued two men, afterwards helping other drowning men near his ship.
Wireless Operator: Gets his ex- citement when out on a raid by reading thrillers all the way.
Rear Gunner: Something in Leads textiles before the war. a dog's life, all alone in the tail, remains irritatingly but always imperturbable. Sometimes, when All the time German planes we're over a hot spot with "flak" were bombing and machine-gun- blazing at us his voice will come ning.
like a voice from another world
It is now announced that he has to tell us that something on the been awarded the D.S.M. for con- ground, two miles ahead, is show- spicuous gallantry.
ing a light!
GIRL DANCER SPENDS
HONEYMOON IN CELLAR
MISS TRIXIE GARDNER, young London dan- cer, now in Lisbon after six months' flight from the Germans, has revealed how she spent her honey- moon in a cellar being bombed by the R.A.F.
There is no obstacle to her leaving alone for her home at Sudbury Heights Avenue, Greenford, Middlesex. But Trixie refuses to part from her husband a Jugoslav whom she married in German-occupied Antwerp.
"I shall not go until I am able there immediately so that Trixie to obtain a visa for my husband would have the protection of lier to come to England, too," she fiance's neutral rationality.
Arrested Again.
Hope For Allied Victory said.
The British Consulate here has
Although there is some anti-made representations to the Bri- They were married at a small American feeling in Indo-China, tish Passport Office on the mnt-Protestant church, because it is felt that America ter. could do something to help the French, and although there is anti-British feeling because of the British Dakar incident, French Indo-China people deep in their hearts hope that Germany and Japan will be defeated by Britain and America,
and their honeymoon was spent in a cellar, Six months before war began. Where they sheltered from R.A.F. Trixie and her husband then raids. her fiance-decided to go on an international tour of Europe.
A French pilot from the war front reported recently that the French only had 15 firstting !plancs for use against Thalland. He reported seeing, white men flying. American and Japanese 'planes. It is said that the
They were in Antwerp when its fall was imminent, and they fled to France
After being detained by Belgian suspected them of soldiers, who being sples, and afterwards by the French, they were advised to return to Antwerp. When they reached the city it was In the hands of the Germans.
They decided to get married
i
After many refusals, the Ger- man authorities: eventually gave them permission to travel to Por- tugul via France.
of
At last they reached the small Portuguese frontlervilage Villa Formose, where they were detained Contae more, but were eventually permitted to travel 'to Lisbon.
They are now awaiting the de- cision of the British Passport authorities.