1940-01-18 — Page 7

THE CHINA MAIL, JANUARY 18, 1940

ARENDSKERK OUTRAGE Captain Gives Full Details Of U-Boat Action SUNK FOR HAVING PRINCE AAGE

GENERAL CARGO FOR S. AFRICA

Lisbon, To-day.

FIRST DETAILS TO BE RELEASED of the torpedo- ing of the Dutch liner Arendskerk were given by Captain C. H. J. Wyker, Master of the vessel, when, with survivors, he arrived in Lisbon yester- day.

Captain Wyker told Reuter how he was stopped by the U-boat's fire and ordered to send the ship's papers to the submarine.

The Arendskerk's First Officer, who took the papers in a boat, was told by the U-boat captain that the vessel must be sunk.

every

Reason given was that the cargo The "Telegraaf" adds that was contraband because it was con- land with a seafaring tradition is dis- signed to an enemy country

Southgusted at much the German navy has Africa.

done in the last few months.-Reuter. ONLY ONE REASON

(SPECIAL TO "CHINA MAIL")

The captain refused to listen to the Dutch officer's argument that the cargo was of a general nature and did not include contraband. The First Officer stayed on the sub- marine half an hour with the Nazi captain, who said he was very sorry to have to sink the ship.

Really A Pity!

The Chief Officer was deeply im- pressed by the kindness of the Ger- man cuptain, who said it really was a pity to sink such a fine ship.

Captain Wyker' added that the Arendskerk was only a year old and was considered one of the best cargo- ships in the world.

The submarino herself towed back the boat with the First Off- cer, and gave the Dutch crew half an hour to leave.

After they had pulled away in three boats they saw the ship blown up. They were picked up two hours later.

After Ushant

Captain Wyker told Reuter he was bound for Capetown and Durban with a general cargo.

The submarine stopped them after they had passed Ushant.

At first he thought the submarine, which appeared as a small spot on the horizon, was a minesweeper.

As it came nearer he realised it was a submarine, and noticed lots of bul- lets dropping round the ship.

Amsterdam, To-day. Extreme indication is felt through- out Holland at the torpedoing of the Arendskirk.

The "Telegraaf" says the Arend skirk was not transporting contraband, and the only reason for her torpedoing was that she was bound for a belli- gerent port.--Havas.

MATAUKOK MELEE

The case in which 13 ex-employees of the Chung Wah Book Co., Factory are charged with behaving in a dis- orderly manner in Pak Tai Street on January 6, was opened this morning

before Mr. E. Himsworth.

Inspector Rogers said that since the Factory suspended work, the police had been placing special guards round the factory. The Factory had recalled about 300 of the 700 em- ployees dismissed.

The others gathered in front of the factory although not re-employed. At 2 a.m. on January 6, some 20 men were gathered, and numbers grew

until at about 11 a.m. there was a crowd of about 300 or 400.

The submarine ordered the Arend-ployed in the skerk to halt, which she did, but the U-boat continued firing. Reuter. Lisbon, To-day.

The crew of the Arendskerk were landed by the Dutch liner Poelau Bras. Reuter.

Sharp Newspaper Criticism

Amsterdam, To-day. The "Telegruaf" in a sharp editor- ial declares; "We regard the whole plan of the German navy to isolate Britain as doomed to failure in advance."

the The newspaper describes sinking of the Dutch .steamer Arendskerk as "a deed' of sonsa- less violence, bringing no glory to the German navy."

It says: "Germany has as little chance of stopping us from sailing the seas as she has of sweeping Britain 'off that element.

"The number of British ships which arrive at and leave British ports daily, shows the uselesaneza of the German sos warfare.' The journal aske: "Does Berlin, really contemplate starving out South Africa, or is it merely a question of destroying as much shipping as- pos- sible?"

. Mr. T. T. Kong, a contractor em- "bank-note" printing department, leaving at about that time, was approached by a crowd, who threatened him. The crowd was, it was alleged, led by Tsu Chun-sang (first defendant).

The special police guards summon-

TO STAY WITH FOREIGN LEGION

Paris, To-day.

Prince Aage, who is an officer In the French Foreign Legion, yesterday denied a report that he had offered his services to the Finnish army.

The Prince said that despite his great sympathy for the herolo Finnish nation he considered it his duty to remain at his post as a major in the French Foreign Legion.-Reuter.

ANOTHER

DIVISION

READY FOR OVERSEAS

London, To-day.

troops of the Southern Command and The King spent yesterday with the inspected a division which is shortly to proceed overseas.-Reuter.

GERMAN AGREEMENT

WITH HUNGARY

BRITAIN'S TRADE LAST YEAR

London, To-day.

The Board of Trade an- nounces that imports declin- ed by £33,600,000, or four per cent., in 1939 compared with 1938, and exports by £30,900,- 000, or seven per cent.

De- Both imports and exports in cember, however, increased compared with November, 1939, and December

1938.

The year ended with a small in- crease in the adverse balance, name- ly, £401,000,000, against £387,000,000. December Imports at £86,600,000, were the greatest of any month since December, 1937.

The increases compared with No- vember were mostly in food, grain and

£1,700,000 and dairy produce flour increasing £2,500,000, ment

700,000.

£2,-

Exports in December totalled £40,- 200,000, which is a rise of £2,800,000 compared with November, mainly in manufactured goods.-Reuter.

PEACETIME LEVELS OVERTAKEN

London, To-day. British overseas trade returns in- Economic parleys between Hungarydicate that both imports and exports and Germany, fixing "trade exchanges during December not only returned to for the current year," have been suc- but overtook peacetime levels. cessfully concluded.Havas.

[SPECIAL TO "THE CHINA MAIL"] Budapest, To-day.

NO TRUTH IN QUAKE REPORT

Rome, To-day... Reports of a second earthquake at Palermo and the collapse of Monreale Cathedral are denied here.-Reuter.

In December, imports totalled in £88,582,000 against £83,089,000

November and £74,132,000 in Decem-

ber, 1938.

Exports totalled £40,169,000 against £37,360,000 and £39,099,000.

Re-exports totalled £2,502,000 against £2,745,000 and £4,779,000. British Wireless.

FRENCH PREPARE

ELABORATE

FLOODING MEASURES

(From Reuter's Special Correspondent with the French Forces)

London, To-day. ALTHOUGH THERE IS a fringe of ice on the shores of the North Sea, the elaborate flooding mea- sures planned by the French Army at the extre- mity of the western front are ready to be put into force at a moment's notice.

Within a few hours vast tracts of land could be made

impassable for an advancing army.

ed the Emergency Unit and tried to The measures consist mainly of a reversal of the

pacify the crowd.

A few minutes later, the Emergency Unit arrived. Tsu was taken into custody and there followed a melee.

The police were forced to charge with batons. They arrested nine. When the police van was proceeding, another batch of workers attempted to stop it. The police arrested four from this crowd.

Giving evidence, Mr. Kong said he was stopped by a crowd in front of the factory but could not say who was the leader. He had no idea of their grievance against him.

The case is proceeding.

Flash!

peace-time method of regulating the network of canals in the district,

Normally the canal locks are closed at high tide and opened at low tide, in order to allow the excess fresh water to run out.

For flooding purposes the locks would be opened at high tide, allow- ing the sea water to overflow the canal banks, and closed at low tide to keep the water in.

VAST LAKE

Special efforts would first saturate the ground with fresh' water, so that

the salt water should damage the rich soil as little as possible.

Bfepe have also already been taken to prevent any artificial floods spreading to ground, oceu. pled by Franch troops.

The measures include a system of dams which would convert the dis- · trict into a vast lake virtually impas- sable to mechanised or other troops.

Reuter.

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