1940-07-06 — Page 6

THE CHINA MAIL, JULY 6, 1940

FRANCE TO BREAK OFF RELATIONS

Decision Taken After Battle Of Oran

Vichy, To-day.

THE HAVAS AGENCY CONFIRMS the report that the French Government has decided to break off It is diplomatic relations with Great Britain. stated the decision was taken at the meeting of the Council of Ministers on Thursday. The decision was reached after examination of the situation resulting from what is described as "un- justifiable aggression" by a powerful squadron of the British Fleet against a French squadron anchored at Mere-El-Kebir.

The Ministers' decision was com-Government has placed the municated to a meeting of some 50 faith in the Axis promise that senators by M. Pierre, Laval in the French Fleet would

be not course of a review of the general against Britain. political and diplomatic situation.

M. Laval also informed the Sena- tors of the Government's intentions re- of garding the forthcoming revision the Constitution.-Reuter.

De Gaulle Court Martial ·

London, To-day.

T. German News Agency yester- day sent out a message from Clermont- Ferrand-In unoccupied France- stating that General De Gaulle is to be court-martialled, presumably in his

absence.

Other alleged Petain Government decisions announced by the German Agency were

warships that French

were ordered to intercept British mer- chantmen and ull British ships and

came within 12 miles of the coast of France or he. Colonies. Reuter,

FASCIST

CANDIDATE ARRESTED

London, To-day. Frederick Haslem, Fascist candidate at the recent Middleton and Prestwich Parliamentary by- election, has been detained by the police under the Defence Regu- lations. Haslem won the MIII- tary Medal in the Great War. Reuter.

HARDER LIFE GASTRONOMICALLY

London, To-day.

Lord Woolton, Food Minister, smallest speaking at Manchester said the future thewould probably call for a certain ab- used stinence. "We are going to have to be content to live a harder life gas- tronomically but we shall not be any the worse for it as there is no ques- tion of going short."-Reuter.

The armistice terms were, in fact, little different from a surrender. Reuter.

SEVERE RAIDS

ON GERMAN NAVAL

BASE

London, To-day.

aircraft were to be attacked if they IT IS OFFICIALLY announced that the R.A.F. on Thursday bombed oil refineries at Hanover and Emmerich, objectives at Hamm and Soest, and Amsterdam and Brussels airports.

Curious incidences

London, To-day.

"Curious coincidences" in the lan- Objectives also included the naval bases at Wilhelm- shaven, Emden and Kiel and aircraft factories at Wenzendorf and Bremen.

guage employed by both German of- ficial announcements and announce- ments by the Petain Government were commented on by semi-official spokes- men in London yesterday.

The French Admiralty announce. ment yesterday claimed that even before the time-limit at Oran ex- pired, the British were dropping magnetic mines. This was firat "re- ported" in the Berlin radio on Thursday night.

The French Admiralty announce- ment also used the phrase "struck in the back," which was also used by the Berlin radio on Thursday night.--- Reuter.

French Account Of Oran Battle

London, To-day. The French Admiralty account of the incidents leading to the Oran naval battle, as rel ved by, the Havas news agency from ichy, was answered in an inspired statement released yes- terday afternoon in London.

The French version, sald that "France would not consent to surrender the fleet" -and- Mar». shal Potain, Admiral ... Darlan Brand

Large fires were started during daylight attacks on

GEN. SMUTS

ON THE HAND THAT SMOTE

Pretoria, To-day.

General Jan Smuts, the South African Premier, de- clared in a broadcast yester- day the day would come when Britain and her Navy would restore to France her glorious position and make amends for the loss they had been compelled in self-defence to. inflict.

"On that day the entire French peo- ple will recognise in gratitude that the the hand that smote them was hand that saved them.

for

As a result of the request peace, he sald, France will now have to endure at the hands of Hitler humillation and bitterness of "de- feat far worse than that at Oran- South Africa was determined not to be a Nazi country or to desert her friends in the hour of danger. She would face suffering, danger and death itself to save the freedom, honour and self-respect for the future of

her people. Reuter.

Canadian Statement

Ottawa, To-day.

In a statement on the Navy's action in taking over the French Fleet, Pre- mier Mackenzie King told the Com-. mons that Canadians of all classes and races knew in their hearts they had but one goal, "the ultimate triumph of the cause of freedom."

Declaring that relations between the

United Kingdom and France at pre- said the British action was not action against the French people but against

sent were not clarified, the Premier

units of the French fleet which were, to all intents and purposes, ships of the enemy's navy.

The British Government therefore acted under compulsion. The Premier

paid a warm tribute to the bravery of

the French and their loyalty to the French Government's orders but added

nothing must stop the ultimate

Reuter.

oil refineries at Hanover and Emmerich, and hits triumph of the cause of freedom. were registered on the objectives at Hamm and Soest,

dock

FUTURE OF

Bombs fell on the Brussels,and skilful use of cover afforded by clouds, Amsterdam aerodromes and on han-aircraft attacking the floating

despite heavy, anti-aircraft fire, states British aircraft is missing.

Two aircraft failed to return after the Air Ministry news service. machines of the Coastal Command attacked and damaged enemy patrol vessels off the coast of Holland.

gars where fires were started. One at Kiel were able to drop their bombs SYRIA

At Hamburg, atlok bombs were seon to burat on the docks and In another attack nearby oil tanks were hit with high explosive and Incon- dlary bombs. There was a violent explosion which lit up the sky for many miles round.

During the night bombare carried out attacks, In addition to thosO mentioned, on the Dortmund-Ems Canal, on lines of communication at Hamburg, Osnabruck, Schwarte andAt Emmerich other large tanks were damaged and at Osternmor feed pipes Cologne, on aerodromes Varel running from oil tanks to the quay Hamburg and Archen and again on on the Kiel Canal were smashed.

the airport at Mpusenja,

Hits were observed on all objec- tives. One British aircraft is missing. Daylight Rakdis

J

Hour's Attack

defended heavily In raide on the base and dockyard at Wilhelmshaven many hits were scared, in various parts of the dock area and, an oll container was blown up' and set on fire. The attack lasted over an hour,

A large German supply ship was M. Baudoin "repeated this 20 times hit by high explosive bombs during a over" to Mr. Churchill, Mr. A. V. series of daylight raids by R.A.F. Alexander

Lord) and, bombers on Thursday when the ampbell. (British Ama ny were taken completely by surs Other sections of the ralding forces atter of the Bri-attacked” the Fockwüll aircraft fac-

One not a single" AA. tory at Wanzendorf.

bombers, straddled the factor heavy

Bir: Kandid′′

riegotiatet.

safely out

dear... romises

ce would ench nds of the en

Secondly, no one but the

af

were

pries, by the tish, aircraft, gun was fred.

Bombing Of Kiši.

Further detalls of the RAF- on the Kial docks show that

891t were also

mlReuter.

the

BAGHDAD, TO-DAY. GENERAL NURIE SAID PASHA, IRAQI FOREIGN MINISTER, WHO HAB JUST RETURNED FROM CON- FERENCES WITH THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT, SAID THE FUTURE OF SYRIA WAS AMONG THE SUB- |JECTS DISCUSSED.

Both Iraq and Turkey were of opinion that Syria should be for the Syrians and that the country should enjoy complete independence.

The Syrians were fit for. Indepen- dence, and only, the right final road about their future should rest with themselves-Reuter.

RUSH TO SEND CHILDREN AWAY

London, To-day. announced last night that un- notice it will be impossible

to be enter- bing to send Nin view of the

Reuter.