CHINA MAIL
FIRST NEWSPAPER IN THE FAR EAST. ESTABLISHED 1845.
AFB
No. 32,114
FRIDAY, APRIL 4, 1941
Price: 10 cts.
INSIST ON
Daisy Brand
Australia's Choices
BUTTER
RACE AGAINST THE RAINS
South Africans Speed Advance On Addis Ababa
Imperial Forces
NIGHT
BELGRADE RAIDS ON Ordered To Retire AN OPEN
BRITAIN
Some enemy activity round the British coasts was reported yesterday but few hostile aircraft flew inland.
done and
Little damage was there were no casualties when aircraft dropped bombs near town on the south-east coast.
a
Shortly afterwards an enemy 'plane was shot into the sea by fighters.
An enemy bomber attempting to attack shipping off the south- west coast yesterday was also shot down.
One of our fighters la miss- Ing, atates the Air Ministry.
London had no alert up to a late hour last night but enemy aircraft were believed to be over several parts of the country, soon after dark, including south-west' and west country
areas and town in South Wales.-Reuter.
ITALIAN DESTROYERS SUNK
DR. MATCHEK PROVIDES TOKEN OF UNITY
The Croat leader, Dr. Matchek, has ac- cepted the Vice-Pre- miership in the new Yugoslav Govern- ment, it was officially announced in Bel- grade yesterday. Reuter.
Paddle
Steamer
In Action
A spirited and success- ful action was fought on Wednesday between the British paddle-mine- The sinking of two more Sweeper Lorna Doone Italian destroyers is re- (temporary Lt. T. W. ported in an Admiralty Sherrin, R.N.V.R.) and communique issued in three Dornier bombers. London yesterday.
One enemy aircraft is believed
was seen to be badly hit and the third escaped.
It says the Commander-in- to have been destroyed, a second
Chief, East Ind'es, reports that an Italian destroyer was sunk by na- val aircraft and another left in a sinking condition.
Both these destroyero recently left Marsawa, These enemy losses, adds the communique, are additional to the Italian destroyer of the Pantera class the destruction of which was announced on Wednesday --Reu- 'ter.
HONG KONG CENSUS FIGURES
The Toughyansus taken by the RP. Departent recently shows pulation(not including resi- dents in the New Territories) of
under 1 milion and a half,
Following: dre ures obtained:
Kowloon!
Hong Kon
Floating:
Total:
was 849,751
The 1881 census
aggregate
709,204 681,431 164,000 1,444,725
Only casualties in the Lorna Doone were two wounded, The ship sustained only superficial damage, states an Admiralty com- munique.-Reuter.
All Guns. Going
From Benghazi TOWN
IT WAS
OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCED IN CAIRO LAST NIGHT THAT BENGHAZI, CHIEF SEAPORT AND TOWN IN EASTERN LIBYA, HAS BEEN EVACUATED BY THE BRITISH AND IMPERIAL FORCES.
-
Belgrade has been de- clared an open town an- nounced Belgrade radio. last night.
Following the declara- |tion the population have been warned that a black-
an-
Benghazi was captured on February 6 fol-out may be enforced at lowing the high speed advance by British any moment, the forces from Derna along the coast road and nouncer added. across the desert.
Dr. Matchek, the Croat leader, is leaving Zagreb for Belgrade: where he will join the Simovitch
Cabinet as Vice-Premier, conf-
dent that every effort will
The military spokesman in Cairo describ- ed the operations in Libya as "minor engage-made to preserve peace. ments of no particular
importance.
#1
Our forward
said. troops, he had withdrawn to positions north of Agedabia, 90 miles from Beng- hazi.
1
The spokesman said South African troops were increasing after capturing
their
pressure
Miesso, Abyssinia.
It is expected In Calro that
Addis Ababa will be declared an
spen, town, owing to the large number of Italian women and children there.
Meanwhile the official Nairobi
communique giving news of the capture of Miesso pays a tribute to the cooperation in Abyssinia of the forces under the command of the Air Officer Commanding Aden, saying "These aircraft have car- ried out many successful attacks on the enemy's rear areas
and
communications."-Reuter.
Nearing Addis Ababa
Miesso is on the railway from Diredawa to Addis Ababa, about 100 miles from. Diredawa and about 150 miles from Addis Ababa.
Reports are still current that the possibility of Italian capitula- tion cannot be ruled out. It is Three enemy aircraft-Dornier rumoured, for instance, that the 215's-delivered a machine-gun | Duke of Aosta has asked General and bombing attack from low Wavell for his conditions of sur- clouds. Four large bombs were dropped but, the Lorna Doone avoided them by skilful manoeuv~ ring.
The Lorna Doone engaged the enemy with all guns, and shells were seen to burst close round the enemy 'aircraft,
-¿One -Dornier was observed to be on fire and when last segja was losing height_rapidly A few moments after; this aircraft had disappeared, in the haze two-heavy explosions were heard
render.
Many Prisoners Taken me
A LARGE NUMBER OF PRISONERS HAVE BEEN TAKEN IN ERITREA: AND MANY MORE ARE BEING ROUNDED UP.
-- (Continued on Page:16)
one of our conveys in the Thames Estuary. No damage or casualties were sustained by the convoy or Locust.
A Coastguard station in the vicinity reported large pieces were One enemy aircraft, was seen seen falling off another Dornier. to crush into the sen. Another A second communique says that was hit and so badly damaged three Messerschmidt 110's were that its escape is considered 'un- all-inclusive hit by gunfire from H.M.S. Locust likely. A third was seen to be
during an unsuccessful attack on hit-British Wireless,""
NATIVE TROOPS RIOT
Rioting by Italian co
be
In an interview, Dr. Matchek said: "I consider it my duty to: do all I can to maintain peace for the supreme benefit of humanity. and I have a profound conviction that the present leaders of Serbia and the people of Serbia are as sincerely for peace as I am.". Reuter.
Calro last night
To ensure the safety of Italian in Asmara the · Italian
families
lonial troops in Asmara bishop and chief of police ap- pealed to British to occupy preceded the entry of the pean the Beton for occu British and Imperial THIS IS THE FIRST TANGI forces into the Eritrean BLE SIGN OF SERIOUS DOMES capital.
TIC TROUBLE THREATENING: THE REMAINING ITALIAN This was revealed by the FORCES IN EAST AFRICA. British military spokesman in REUTER.
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