HONGKONG DAILY PRESS
NORWAY FAI LED TO CARRY OUT HER
DUTY AS A NEUTRAL:
"..
COMPLAINT LODGED BY BRITAIN OVER THE ALTMARK
INCIDENT
LONDON, Feb. 19 (Reuter) —The Foreign Office states, "Lord Halifax, the British Foreign Secretary, yesterday lodged a complaint with the Norwegian Minister against the failure of the Norwegian authorities to establish the presence of between 300 and 400 British prisoners on board the Altmark when she was searched at Bergen.
“The Norwegian Minister was asked to obtain urgently an"explanation of the circumstances which have given rise to this compaint.
"He was informed that it appeared to His Majesty's Government that the Nor- wegian Government had, in this matter, falled in their duty as a neutral and that His Majesty's Government that the case against this par- ticular ship was such that they were justified, in pressing that the Altmark should be interned."
felt
TEXT OF NOTE" LONDON, Feb. 19 (Reuter)The
British Government's communica- tion to the Norwegian Government say
right to complain of inaction
"Hell Ship"
Still Aground
OSLO, Feb. 19 (Reuber)—The “Nazi Hell Ship," Altmark, la stin aground, with about 100 „Germans on board. She is being guarded by Norwegian warships
A Norwegian doctor went on board when the British left and treated the wounded Germans three of whom have been sent ashore" to hospital.
SEVEN KILLED
by the Norwegian Government. Three-hundred British were kept A message from Berlin states for weeks and months in close chat it was officially announced confinement and if those prisoners there that seven men were killed. had found their way to a camp into the Altmark incident, Another Germany, the Norwegian Govern-ts missing, and is presumed to for their fate. ment would have been responsible have been drowned, while five were
seriously wounded
The note concludes by demand- ing the internment of the Alt- mark.
"GOTT STRAFE ENGLAND" Special to the HK. Daily Presi
BERNE Feb. 19 (Havas)-The German slogan in the World War, gott strafe England" is again
It Ls notorious that the echoed in Berlip as a result of the Altmark participated in the de-Altmark incident. predations by the Graf Spee to
which she acted as auxiliary,
The British Government had the best reasons, confirmed by British subjects taken off the Graf Spee and previously imprisoned in the Altmark, to know that there were j some 300 or 400 Britishers on board, who had long been living under intolerable conditions.
The Altmark is also credibly be- lieved to possess offensive arma- Tents.
ALTMARK'S RECORD
|
A
EXPLOSION ON SHIP
LONDON, Feb. 19 (Reuter)-The
Captain and a fireman lost their
lives when the 3,655-ton British
steamer Baron Allsa, sank after an explosion in the
Saturday night,
North Sea on
The remaining thirty-four mem- bers of the crew were saved.
Stories Of The Intolerable
Conditions On Board
LONDON, Fẹb. 17 (Reuter) — About 150 of the 250 of the Altmark's prisoners, who were taken to a hospital in Letth, were able to leave yesterday and return to their homes. A dramatic account of the boarding party's exploit was given to Reuter yesterday.
The record of the Almark must " The Officer-in-Charge of the party leaped the eight feet have been well known to the Nor-from HM.S: Cossack to the Altmark waving his revolver. wegian Government and, in the and shouting: "Come On; Follow Me." view of His Majesty's Government,
It was incumbent on the Nor- The Germans scuttled like| BREAKFAST, 7 a.m. three chin wegian authorities, when she en- frightened rabbits. They left pieces of black bread. Tea with tered Bergen and requested pass the ship as hurriedly as they no sugar or milk. age through Norwegian territorial could get overboard and took waters. to subject her to a very positions on the high rocks from where they opened fire blindly, wounding one man in the shoulder.
careful search.
His Majesty's `Government would be grateful for full par- ticulars in regard to how the search was conducted and what facts were discovered.
Reports received by His Majesty's Government indicat- ed that the examination was perfunctory, as shown by the fact that no prisoners were discovered.
It was then that the British fired in retaliation.
DINNER 230 p.m.: A pint tin of] Soup or tinned potatoes and meat. of black bread and another cup of sugarless and milkless tea. That
TEA 5.30 p.m.; Three thin pieces
was all.
When their desperate attempt at mutiny was discovered, they were Among those still in hos-all put on bread and water for pital are about seventy Las- two days, cars, who are expected to be discharged today!
CARD SCHOOL'S "
The British sailors tried to keep their spirits up by starting card
FOOD SMALL AND schools, Contract Bridge, Auction
SCARCE
(Reuter)
Bridge and cribbage all attracting their devotees.
FAILURE IN DUTY" After referring to Norway as ap- parently falling in duty as a neu- LONDON, Feb. 19 tral, the note asks, if they had Interviewed by the B. B. C., one of found British prisoners on board the British sailors freed from the what would they have done with Altmark broadcast a short account them? Either they would have of the terrible conditions under released them "or,, anyhow, held which the Nazis kept over 300 crack on the head. them pending a full examination British sallora. -
ป
of the position.
His Majesty's Government
felt, therefore, they had every
Food was small and scarce, said. The daily menu ran. follows...
nasty
There was little exercise possible and, although they managed to play leap frog they had to be care- ful not to jump too high, however, as otherwise they got 寫
There was also a system of bar heter. Towards the end, tobacco was as 30 scarce that it was selling at £1 a pound while a box of matches cost 6d.
WHAT OTHERS THINK OF
A WÜITE. MAN
He closed his talk by praising the Nazi doctor on board for his
CABLES
Sir Andrew Rae Duncan, the newly-appointed President of the Board of Trade, in succes- sion to Mr. Oliver Stanley who Is now Secretary for War:
SUSPENSE CANNOT BE CONTINUED
RENEWAL OF CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE IN" INDIA THREAT LAHORE, Feb. 19
(Reuter) "The present state of suspense In India cannot continue," de- clared Mr. Maulana Abdul Kala- mazed, President-elect of the In- dian National Congress, In Interview.
an
NEW STRUGGLE He added: "After the session of the Ramgarh, Congress muist make a step forward which would surely take the form of a" new atruggle."
Asked if this foreshadowed a renewal of civil disobedience, he replied: "Yes"
ALTMARK CASE
Continued from Page 1 serious because it clearly estab- shes the power exercised on cer- tain neutral countries by German bitckmall,"
"INCREDIBLE"
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1940. -PAGE
ALLSOPPS
TRADE
ITS CLEAR ITS GOOD
MARKS
100%
BRITISH
SOLE AGENTS:
CALDBECK, MACGREGOR & CO., LTD.
2. CHATER ROAD,
TELEPHONE. 20075.
JAPAN - SOVIET TRADE PACT - NEGOTIATIONS
TOKYO, Feb. 19 (Reuter)-Nego- tiations for a trade pact between the Japanese and the Soviet are
going on very smoothly, stated the
Foreign Ofice spokesman at to- day's press conference.
Asked whether the pact is likely to follow the lines of the Soviet- German trade agreement he de- clared: Trade conditions differ, but some phases of the Soviet-
Japanese trade pact may be similar to that between Russia and Get- many."
RELATIONS WITH U. S.
Discussing Japan's relations with
THE
HONG KONG
PENINSULA HOTEL,
HONGKONG HOTEL; REFÜLBE 'BAY HOTEL
SHANGHAI
ASTOR HOUSE; PALACE HOTEL;
HOTELS LIMITED:
In association with the Grand Hotel des Wagons Lite, Peking.
America, the spokesman stressed RUSSIANS EXPECTED TO
NEW YORK, Feb, 19. (Reuter)- The fallure of the Berger of clais to discover, or even to sus- pect the presence of more than 300 prisoners, who declared, that they had howled and yelled and beat on the hatch cover, seems Incredible," declares the New York that her attitude towards the Times commenting on the Alt-United States was steadily stiffen- mark affair..
ing owing to the absence of a The Herald-Tribune states; "It trade pact and the threats of an seems that the Norwegian author-embargo, ties failed in their duty of defend-
"We have done our best in the ing their neutrality when they past. We are very sorry that our overlooked the presence of the efforts have not been peciprocated," Altmark's prisoners."
he added.
NO REACTION
A PRETEXT COPENHAGEN, Feb, 19 (Reuter) -According to reports from Ber- There is as present no reaction Un, political circles, there believe in Japan to the boarding by the that Mr. Churchill hoped that British Navy of the German vessel Germany would utilise the Alt-Altmark in Norwegian territorial mark incident as a pretext for de- waters. claring war on the Northern
countries.
They declare:
MC Good Work Is
Completed
will be bitterly disappointed." Such action by Germany, it is out, would fling. the Northern countries into the arms of the Allies,
THE ALTMARK INCIDENT kindness and humanitarian spirit pointed
AMERICA:
WASHINGTON, Feb. 19 (Reuter)-With the full story of the Altmark now known, the doubts at first felt in regard to the British action have disappeared, leaving only admiration for the daring exploit and The feeling that It was completely. justified.
FRANCE:
PARIS, Feb. 19 (Beater)-French public opinion supports the... action of the, British Admiralty in regard to the Altmark.
The Intransigeant writes: "Once more Germany was caught red-handed violating international laws Britain acted rightly, for neutrality cannot function only one way."
BELGIUM:
BRUSSELS, Feb. 19 (Reuter)-"The Altmark Incident is re- grettable, but the spectacular in dignation of Germany impresses nobody" writes the Libre Belgique:
The paper adds: “There—nothing in common between the action of a British destroyer in attacking an armed German ship secretly taking prisoners of war throngh neutral waters and: that of a German submarine torpedoing a Dutch ship sailing be tween neutral ports.
SWEDEN:
STOCKHOLM, Feb. 19 (Reuter)-Fears that the Altmark in- cident may pave the way for serious breaches of neutrality ́ of northern states is expressed here. The newspaper Allehanda says: "The neutrality of small countries, seems worth Little when the interesta of great powers are at stake.”
- AND GERMANY STORMS
LONDON, Feb, 19 (Beuter)-The Berlin' press declares that Norway must do something more than protest to Eritain over the Altmark: affair.
The Official News Agency says: "The attack on the Altmark rau become the starting-point for a fight of all against all.”
WHILE NORWAY SAYS
OSLO, Fab. 19: (Router)—"The British action is a most flag- -rant violation of the territory of any neutral in this war" de- clared M. Hambro, the Pres dent in an interview regarding the Altmark Incidentinov
וי
"If ever I met a white" man, it was that doctor. We tried to And him at the finish to thank him. He bandaged up our naval rating last night."
THRILLING STORY OF
DARING MEN
One of the released prisoners Aubrey Jenkins, of the Dorie Star, told a thrilling story of the daring of the men from H.M8. Cossack.
ABSOLUTELY CORRECT OSLO, Feb. 19 (Reuter)The. newspaper Morgenbladet declares that ' Norway's bandling of the
case was absolutely correct ac- cording to the international law.
"It was our right to allow the Altmark free passage when the ship acted according to regula- tions and we had no right nor the the duty to release British pri-
EXETER AND AJAX CONGRATULATE THE COSSACK
LONDON, Feb. 19 (Reuter)—
OVERRUN
FINLAND IN
A FEW WEEKS TIME
MOSCOW, Feb. 19 (Reuter)-The feeling growing among the public here that the Red Army will overrun Finland within a few weeks.
This confidence is based partly on official communi- ques, partly on stories from soldiers returning from the front and partly on the appreciation' of Russia's vast numerical superiority.
Though the authorities probably share this optimism, they are not voicing it, possibly because their earlier pre- dictions were not fulfilled..
ITALIANS TO FIGHT.
HELSINKI, Feb. 19 (Reuter) -A Finnish communique an- nounces that Russian pressure on the Karellari Isthmus
FOR FINLAND weakened between the Gulf of Finland and Vuoksen. Except |
PARIS, Feb 19 (Reuter)-A for". local skirmishes and legion of 10,000 Italians, living in vigorous air activity, the day Marabini, Fresident of the Italian France, headed by Bignor Camillo passed calmly, but many Garibaldeans, who fought in the tanks were destroyed.
Argonne during the Great War, is leaving for Finland abortly, ac cording, to a statement by Bignor Marabini to the newspaper In- transigeant.
On the north-east coast of Lake
ARTILLERY ACTIVITY In the Suvanto District and Tat Officers and men of H. M. S pale there was the usual artillery Cossack received a message of activity congratulation from H M 8. Ajax for completing work done by them when they enemy attacks and captured some the good Ladoga, Finnish forces repelled He said: "Immediately the grap- - soners."
accounted for the Graf Spee. pling irohs were affixed to the The Berlin Dermontag declares
strong points. They took eight YUNNAN RAILWAY Happy groups of relatives and sides of the Altmark, men from that Mr. Winston Churchill has friends
guns and destroyed three tanks of the British seamen and about seventy convoy vehicles. Cossack fairly leapt to their job.
caused Britain to suffer "an exfrom the Altmark gathered at The enemy left 570 dead.
AGAIN BOMBED They appeared to relish the ventremely serious, moral defeat."
many stations on Sunday evening ture, as they landed on the Alt
and gave a heroes' welcome to mark's deck with pistols and flash-
the rescued" men. ing bayonets,
"Daring the scrap, it was ob vious that the Germans had not the stomach to face our brave and reckless sallors. One German standing alongside me raised his pistol to shoot one of the boarding
NAZI STEAMER CAPTURED LONDON, Feb. 19 (Reuter)-The German steamer Morea 3.000 tons) with a cargo of manganese ore, was captured by a British warship and brought into a west
A member of the Tairoas crew said that the Altmark- must travelind 15,000 miles, ranging from tropic heat to Aretic and Antarctic cold,
KUNMING, Feb 19 (Reuter)... In the Kuhms Sector, there were For the third day in succession skirmishes in the course of which Japanese planes bombed the Yun- the enemy lost 130 killed. STAN nanrailway today. Renewed Forty were reported to have bombing has caused a slight In- one Finnish town on Saturday, been, killed in a Soviet air raid on terruption in traffic.
No casualtics, however, been reported so far.
: SOVIET LOSSES STUCKHOLM, Feb. 19 (Reuter)
-Reports estimate that the Rus-PAMERAN sians lost 4,000 killed in the Kare-
party but he was not fast enough," country port, Seven officers and EXTRA - SETTLEMENT fan. Isthmus in the last three days CONSERVATIVE M.P'S
NAZI STATEMENTS Another ex-prisoner. George Johnston of the Newton Beach.
twenty-three men were entrained for an internment camp.
NEW
DEATH
POLICE CONTROL The Aftonbladet says: "The Fin-"[
nish retreat to new positions ep" SHANGHAI, Feb 19 (Reuter- pears to have been made in good produced copies of a statement MIKADO'S PARTY Officers recommended by the order. The
LONDON, Feb. 19 (Reuter)-- made to the Newton Beach crew
TOKYO, Feb 19 (Reuter) It is Shanghai Municipal Police for considerably stronger than those Charles William Cayzer, Con- positions are The death 1 announced of BİF by the Commander of the Graf officially announced that the service on the extra-Settlement abandoned."
pee and by the Commander of Emperor of Japan will be giving roads in western Shanghai, for the AERIAL BATTLES
NOV. 1833. servative M. P. for Chester since. he Altmark so prisoners on his a luncheon party tomorrow control of which a special police HELSINKI, Feb 19 (Reuter)
Among the guests will be. Mr. Toshio Bhiratori, Mr. Shuichi Sake and Mr. Oshima, former Ambassadora to Italy Poland and Germany, respectively, w
ships.
He first stated Inter alla, "We. the German people, wish to have peaceful relations with the English nation, but owing to your country declaring war on mine I forced to take your ship as a prize of war to defend our honour and living" del
Dutch newspapers describing the treatment of German prisoners in Africa and added that because of RETALLATIONT E
this any request by the British Commander's prisoners on the ship would he
report In definitely refused.
The Altmark statement quoted.
Born on Jan. 6, 1896, Sir Charles was created Third Baronet in 1904. he was educated at Repton and Oriel College, Oxford, and later went to Sandhurst
force has been created under an Finnish communique issued today agreement signed between the states that Finnish fighters on 8. M O. and the pupper Greater Saturday fought many successful Shanghai Municipality, will become aerial battles, scattering and driv the servants of the Special Mani- ing back enemy bombing forma cipality and will be paid by that tions de
He served in the European War organisation, according to the The enemy made air raids on from 1915-1918 and held a com Japanese spokesman, A LOW scathern and south-west Finland mission in the 19th Bussars
The area west of the railway; and 40 civilans were killed and a He was married in 1919 to being under Japanese control, is few wounded Twenty-four enemy Beatrice Elleen daughter of the not included in the terms of the planes were shot down, the com-late Mr James Meakin and of the present agreement,
manique concludes;
Counters Sonder.