1940-01-11 — Page 9

RUTHLESS AIR WAR

DEFENCELESS SHIPPING

ON

General Hata, whose resignation from the Japanese War Ministry has been rumoured. He is believ- ed to be the key figure in the Ja- panese political crisis.

GEN. HATA KEY TO CABINET CRISIS

(SPECIAL TO "CHINA MAIL")

TOKYO, TO-DAY. NEGOTIATIONS HAVE STARTED BEHIND THE SCENES FOR THE

CONSTITUTION OF A NEW CABI- NET, THE WAR MINISTER, GEN. HATA, APPEARING TO BE MORE AND MORE THE KEY FIGURE OF

THE SITUATION.

It is not yet known whether he would assume the Premiership himself as he is in active service but might entrust a personality close to him.

In any case he would avoid by all means to give the impression that Japan is now run by an Army Gov- ernment but would endeavour to launch a new moderate Government.

-Havas.

NAZI RAID PROVES COSTLY

PARIS, TO-DAY.

TWO GERMAN PATROL RAIDS ON TUESDAY WERE HALTED WITH HEAVY LOSSES TO THE ENEMY.

The German raiders came into con- tact with French patrols and there were brisk exchanges of rifle-fire and- hand-grenades.

Due to heavy fogs, there was little air activity, save for a long reconnais- sance flight by Nazi 'planes over North-West France.--Reuter.

ARTILLERY ACTIVITY

Paris, To-day.

Last night's French war communi- que stated there was artillery action and activity of reconnaissance units on both sides, especially east and west of the Vorges.

There has been a resumption of aerial activity. Reuter.

SIR WILLIAM SEEDS IN ENGLAND:

London, To-day. Sir William Seeds, British Ambassa- dor to Moscow, arrived back in Eng land yesterday, accompanied by Lady.

London, To-day.

TWO GERMAN BOMBERS, which attacked British shipping off the East Coast aimed 40 bombs at the British steamer Northwood (1,146 tons), but all missed.

There were no casualties among the crew, although

the ship was swept with machinegun fire. One of the Nazi planes was hit about the fuselage by the Northwood's Lewis-gun and immediate- ly afterwards both machines made off.

When the vessel arrived in port yesterday the captain said the Nazi machines dropped 40 bombs, with more haste than accuracy.

The

Reuter.

attack lasted 10 minutes.

SINKING OF THE "OAKGROVE"

London, To-day. The loss of a British ship in the North Sea on Tuesday is

the officers and men ordered to carry them out."

་

COWARDICE OF GUNMAN

It is added: "Insistence on the presence of armed patrol craft, which is so often a feature of the German High Command communiques, would suggest an unconvincing attempt to impart a military flavour to an opera- tion which suggests the calculated brutality and cowardice of a gunman

rather than the chivalry and courage

of an airman."-Reuter.

all the bitter because of her THE BALKAN

earlier escape from air bomb-

ing during the Spanish War. ENTENTE

This was the Glasgow steamer Oakgrove, of 1,085 tons, which har been sunk by Nazi aircraft. All het crew have been saved, but her mas-

(SPECIAL TO "CHINA MAIL")

Bucharest, To-day.

The next meeting, of the perman-

CLUNG TO U-BOAT'S SIDE

An account of how 12 mem- bera of the crew of the 9,456-ton Dublin steamer Inverliffey diung to the side of a U-boat which sank their ship was given when the American tanker R. G. Ste- wart arrived at Baltimore. The man's lifeboat Was swamped while the submarine was towing It towards the tanker, and German officer told them to hold on to the U-boat. He warned them, however, that he would submerge Immediately if a Bri tlah warship or 'plane appeared.

NEW AGE GROUP

#

CALLED UP

London, To-day. Calling up of the first batch in the 22 to 23 age group began yesterday.

These men were registered in December, when it was stated that calling up would

ter is missing. He is Captain W. Dent council of the Balkan Entente, begin early in the New Year. Falconer, who commanded the Oak- grave during the Spanish War.

At one time, she was held by the

cruiser Almirante Cervera | Spanish off Santander, but was rescued by a British cruiser and a British destroy. er, Reuter.

*** The

Need. Oakgrove, ex 5.5. wood, was built at Sunderland in 1906. A vessel of almost 280 feet in length, she was owned by the Grove Line (Glasgow) Limited.

DANISH SHIPS STILL AFLOAT

The two Danish ships reported sunk on Tuesday in the North Sea are still afloat and it is now expected that they will be brought safely into

Reuter.

port.-

due at Belgrade on February 2, is assuming particular interest owing to the recent Clano-Csaky talks in Venice.

It will be some weeks before the calling up is complete.

About 240,000 men are affected. It is unlikely that any group from Meetings of the Balkan Entente 23 to 27 will be called upon to be re- take place every year in a different gistered before March at the earliest. Balkan capital.—Havas.

Reuter.

RUNNING AIR

OVER NORTH SEA

AIR FIGHT

London, To-day.

THE AIR MINISTRY announces that an R.A.F. formation encountered long-range enemy fighters far out over the

North Sea yesterday.

DEMANDS ON CONSCIENCE

London, To-day. Authoritative quarters point out that the new Nazi methods of war fare-attacks by aircraft on unarm- ed merchantmen and defenceless A running fight lasting half fishingboats-"must make greater de-hour followed. mands upon the conscience than One Messerschmidt 110 was seen upon the courage of the attackers. to crash into the sea, and it is known that another was forced to land in Denmark.

"It Is hard to believe that it can be anything but repugnant to

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an One of our airoraft was lost but the remainder, after beating off the enemy, continued to the easterly limit of their reconnaissance and returned safely. Reuter.

From 9 p.m.

To 1 a.m.

TO-NIGHT

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WITH ART CARNEIRO & HIS MUSICA

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