1940-07-11 — Page 3

THE CHINA MAILS JULY 11, 1940.

ITALIAN FLEET MADE NON-STOP RUN TO SAFETY Mediterranean Action Described As Disappointing

Pursued To Within Sight of Land

*

A BRITISH ADMIRALTY COMMUNIQUE ISSU- "ED LAST NIGHT STATED: “THE ENGAGE- MENT BETWEEN THE BRITISH AND ITA-

··LIAN NAVAL FORCES' IN THE MEDITER-

· RANEAN IS DESCRIBED BY THE COM- MANDER-IN-CHIEF IN THE MEDITERRAN- EAN AS "A DISAPPOINTING ACTION.” THIS IS DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE BRITISH FLEET HAD NO OPPORTUNITY OF DEALING EFFECTIVELY WITH THE ENÉMY IN A CLOSE RANGE ACTION. "The Italian fleet was in fact pursued until our fleet were in sight of land but unfor- tunately could not be overtaken before they were able to reach the shelter of their shore batteries.

"One enemy cruiser was hit class as the Espero, which the by a torpedo of the bombing air-Royal Navy sank a few days ago. craft of the Fleet Air Arm which She carried a normal complement was pressed home in the face of of 142 officers and men.-Reuter. heavy anti-aircraft fire in the hope of checking the withdrawal} of the Italian force."

"An Italian communique issued to-day admits that one unit was hit-presumably a capital ship, hit by a 15-inch shell from our forces.

*'AS previously announced there were no casualties among the British ships engaged yes [ Ferday,

I

Submarine Sunk

SABOTAGE

PLOT IN U.S.

reveals a plot to sabotage a bat- A message from Austin, Texas,

leship under construction in the Pennsylvania naval yard.

The plot is reported to have been discovered by Mr. Martin

WASHINGTON HUNGARY'S CLAIMS REFUSES TO

ON RUMANIA: MUNICH DISCUSSIONS

GET EXCITED

Mr. Cordell Hull, the Secretary of State, at a press conference in Washington yester- day, declined: to show any excitement over developments in Shanghai following the Marines incident. A study of further reports on the dispute, he said, only served to -strengthen his bellef that the incident should be locally.

TWO HOURS AFTER THEY arrived in Munich -yesterday, Count Teleki, Hungarian Premier, ``and Count Csaky, his Foreign Minister, were re- ceived by Hitler and Ribbentrop, says the Ita- lian news agency.

Their talks are being held in the Fuehrer's house."

Count Ciano, Italian Foreign Minister; who has been on a tour of the battlefields in Flanders, has also arrived at Munich and been received by Hitler and Ribben- trop.

The German settled

BOMBS ON ENGLAND

radio states that the talks are being held with the B German leaders on the military. and political condition of the war against England.

The visit of the Hungarian Ministers was officially described |in' Budapest as being in connec-

SEVERE

MEASURES

THREATENED

German authorities in

tion with Hungary's claims on the Protectorate of Bo- Rumania (for Transylvania) and

with the "new order to be created hemia and Moravia have taken severe measures

in the Balkans."

The Bulgarian press is parti-

afternoon yesterday at a number mania) should be included in any

?

The Ministry of Home Security Cularly interested, and states that against communist and states that bombs were dropped a solution of the "South Dobruja other left wing elements during the morning and early problem" (another part of Ru- within the past two of points on the south and south-such consideration of the Balkan months, is was reported west coasts and in South Wales. an atmosphere reflecting the train London yesterday.

ditional friendship between the The damage resulting from three States."

Reuter's diplomatic correspon- these raids was not great and the

After the meeting, Ciano had a dent is informed in Czech quar- casualties not serious.-Reuter.

half hour's conversation with ters in London that these med- Hitler and Ribbentrop.-Reuter, sures seem to have coincided with

of the situation. Bulgaria, says its press, the beginning

Soviet will try to realise its claims by Unions' expansionist policy in the peaceful means and thus ensure Baltic and Balkans. These meá- "lasting friendship with Rumania." sures constitute a reversal of the --Reuter.

[previous · Nazi policy.

MALAYAN GIFT TO RED CROSS

Official Communique

"In another part of the Medi-Dies, chairman of the committee

It was announced in London terranean, one of our submarines, of investigation of un-American yesterday that a further £15,000!· the Parthian, under Lieut.activities.

Mr. Dies has declined had been made from the Malaya Comdr. Rimington, has sunk

to the Lord an to give details of the discovery. Patriotic Find

A communique: issued yester- Italian U-boat. The Italian U--Reuter.

Mayor's Red Cross Fund.-Reu- day after the meeting between boat was sighted on the surface

Hitler, Ribbentrop, Count Ciano, at close range. The Parthian fired

|Teleki' and Csaky stated: torpedoes and hit the Italian U- boat, throwing quantities of de bris into the air. Her bows rose up at an angle of 70 degrees and she went down stern first. Reuter,

Italian Report

JAPAN'S WAR

ECONOMY:

LATEST

An official Italian report admits that an Italian destroyer was sunk and a submarine has filled to re- turn as a result of the short-lived "engagement" in the Mediter-. ranean yesterday, when an Italian THE fleet consisting of two battleships, four cruisers and several other craft fled behind a smoke-screen on sighting British warships.

The British Admiralty had hot

claimed to have sunk any Italian ships, although it reported one direct hit on a battleship. The Italians say that the damage caus- ed to the battleship can be re- paired in a day or so,

-RETURNS

SPECIAL TO” “CHINA MAIL”)

..

After the Sqviet-German pact was signed the Germans at- tempted for some time to con ciliate left: wing

groups but since the Soviet Union: began to thrust her Influence into Latvia, Lithuania” and Esthonia, the attempt seems to have been abandoned.

+

"The Fuehrer to-day received in the presence of Ribbentrop and Ciano, “who has been a guest of

Two months ago the well- the German Government since known Czech communist lawyer, Sunday, the Hungarian Prime Sekanina, who had been in prison Minister, Count Teleki, and the ever since the fall of Prague, was Hungarian Foreign

Count Csaky.

"Conversations

•

Minister, shot by the Gestapo. Since then Czech circles have learned of

took place in other assassinations. of left wing

an atmosphere reflecting the tra-Czechs.--Reuter. ditional friendship between the

three States."

After the meeting, Ciano had a half hour's conversation with

TREND TOWARDS diminishing returns is to Hitler and Ribbentrop.-Reuter.

be seen even in the wartime economy of Japan, "according to a report published in the semi-

official Japan Times and Mail” yesterday." Out of a total of 140 leading business corporations in

The sunken destroyer was the Zaffira, of 1,073 tons, of the same not

POLISH

Japan, no fewer than 23 have reduced their divi- SKIPPERS'

dends for the half-year business term ended May 31.

"These dividend réductions were panese military requests but re- effected in answer to Ja-sulted directly from lower pro-

Day in and day out warships of the British Navy are do- great Work convoying merchant" khipping taly to thofe smeady for action, this ploture shows a triple torpedo be mounting, the three warheads poking out of the" and of their tubde. (Copyright, Fox).

COURAGE

ductions and reduced earnings. Determined action by

Most of the dividend reductions occurred in those corporations actwo Polish merchantship tively interested in the operation captains has saved their of iron works, machinery plants, and coal mines."-

ships for future service in The earning of these concerns the war against Germany, dropped as the result of higher) production costs which, in turn, it was revealed in London resulted from shortages of labour and equipment. Lower earnings led to declines in production.

yesterday.

WESTERN DESERT QUIET

A Cairo communique states that there is nothing to report in the Western Desert, Somaliland and Kenya.

On the 'Sudán/Abyssinian fron- tier, an enemy force estimated at 300 colonial troops supported by artillery and aircraft occupied the frontier post at Kurtnuk on Sun- iday last.

The small 'garrison, of Sudanese police withdrew after inflicting 50 casualties on the enemy Reuter.

~ SCHOOLBOY::

AASSAULT ACCUSATION

Alleged to have been assaulted bby a teacher and a fellow student, |a 17-year-old pupil of the Yuek One of the ships, a 3,000-tommer, Chi School in Nathan Road, was In the meantime, Japanese tex-was in the harbour at Dakar when admitted to the Kowloon Hospital tile companies and the chemical she was ordered by the French yesterday.

industries are paying unchanged authorities not to sail The Polish The lad was suffering injuries or even increased dividends, but captain ignored the order and on the body.

these enterprises will be compell brought his ship out by dodging The police are investigating the ed to cut profit distributions for the beams of the searchlights and allegation.

the current ferm, according to manoeuvring his way through the

the "Japan Times and Mail."': net defences.

STOLEN ·

the

off

The other, a vessel of 6,000 tons, MARINA GOALPOSTS The textile and chemicát In-was in the inner harbour of a dustries are both suffering from French West African port. difficulties" about"raw":ˆmaterial She escaped at night under fire All the hockey goal posts and supplies and marketing abroad. from shore batteries..

other wooden, structures on Both ships are now in British Marina Hockey Flayground - Japanese cotton mills this month ports, and their captains have Chatham Road disappeared dur reduced their production by 28 been congratulated by the British ing the night, of Saturday per cent, while the rayon and naval authorities on their deter Sunday. staple fibre plants were working mination and the Beamanship. This report was made to only to 40 per cent. of production Reuter.

Police yesterday by Captain. Wi- capacity-Hävas.

*****kinson, by the Kumaon Rifles.

ter.

and

the