1940-10-24 — Page 2

THE CHINA MAIL, OCTOBER 24, 1940

INVASION DANGER NOT PAST

But Damage Done On Long Coastline ls Enormous

Tremendous CRYPTIC

Havoc By Royal Air Force

THE INVASION DANGER IS NOT CON- SIDERED PAST IN LONDON AUTHORITATIVE QUARTERS ALTHOUGH THE DAMAGE DONE TO ENEMY PREPARATIONS ALONG 2,000 MILES OF INVASION COAST. FROM · NARVIK TO BORDEAUX IN THE LAST SIX WEEKS HAS BEEN TREMENDOUS.

A

I

Along the Dutch, Belgian and French coasts, docks, barracks, aerodromes, power stations, railways and naval arsenals have been wrecked by the Royal Air Force.

It was revealed last night that p at Dunkirk, the quays between two of the main docks and several buildings have been levelled to the ground.

At Brest, the attacks oh arsenals and aerodromes have been equally successful. At Calais, buildings at the south-east end of the dry-dock have been destroyed by fire, the east side of the dock damaged, and the lock between the inner basin and the navigation port have suffered considerably.

According to one report, the electricity works are nearly com- pletely destroyed.

jetty have been directly hit and

KING CAROL

IN HOUSE

COMMONS ANSWER

"We shall know how to deal with any further ot- tacks by the forces of the Vichy Government.'

Thus declared Mr. R. A.. Butler. Under-Secretary for Foreign Af fairs, in the House of Commons yesterday when asked whether consideration would be given to reprisals, against French forces

supporting the Vichy Government systematic

а

who had been "carrying on

bombardment of Gibraltar recently."

Asked whether he would ad- mit that there had been bom- bardment of Gibraltar by the French Forces, Mr. Butler said: "No. It would not pay to add anything to what I have sald or to infer anything from it. There was certain Incident and I have given a certain answer." -Reuter.

I

PRINCE VON

GERMAN STARKEMBERG SCHELDT

IN AIR FORCE

Prince Von, · Star- hemberg, former Aus- trian Vice-Chancellor, is now a lieutenant in the Free French Air Force, with pay and allowances of £1.4s. 11d. per day.

This was revealed by Captain Balfour, Under-Secretary for

Air, when questioned on the subject in the House of Commons yesterday. Reuter.

CUSTODY SCALE OF INVASION

King Carol and Ma-

dame Lupescu are be-

At Lorient, buildings on the ing kept under surveil- damage done to the torpedo boat lance by the Spanish po- station. Many casualties were caused among the German troops lice, according to reports stationed there when nearby bar-reaching New York.

racks were hit.

Ships Sunk

Outside the harbour, mines laid by British 'planes have sunk several ships. There is every rea- son to believe that the courage

and determination of the R.A.F.

pilots attacking the invasion bases

has done much to undermine the

-confidence of the enemy.-

Reports that they have been arrested are not confirmed, but it is stated that they have been moved to new quarters_at a grea- ter distance from the Portuguese frontier.

According to other reports, the

PREPARATIONS REVEALED

DETAILS OF HITLER'S preparations for

DISASTER

More rumours are cir- culating about the failure of German attempts to land in Britain, says the Zurich newspaper "Volks- recht."*

According to one report, barges for transporting troops were as- sembled at the mouths of the Scheldt and Rhine in September.

Some of the troops destined for the invasion are said to have shown "little desire to allow for themselves to be embarked these rides to heaven.'

British bombers-so the ru- mour goes dropped thousands of Incendiary bombs, containing mixture, special inflammatory

on the barges.

On reaching the water, the bombs are said to have made the rivers round the barges, a sea of flame.

Many German soldiers, it is declared, ruffered terrible burns and are now in hospitals in oc- cupied territory.

The "Volksrecht's" correspon- dent says that the Dutch public firmly believes this story and re- fer to "eye-witness evidence" in connection with it-Reuter.

WILL MR. KENNEDY RETURN?

extradition of the King and his the invasion of England were officially dis-American Ambassador in

favourite may be sought by the

Rumanian authorities on charges closed-last-right-in-London.

arising from the death of

Enemy concentrations of men Codreanu, former chief of the The Air Ministry News Service points out that and material have been bombed Iron Guard. during the Carol incessantly since September 5 and regime.-Router. from every source evidence has. been forthcoming of heavy dam-

Later. King Carol is reported to

only part of the story can as yet be told but this part shows that from the first day that the enemy con- centrated his forces in every available port and har- bour, the Royal Air Force carried out reconnais-

be age inft cted on the foe-Reuter staying at a hotel in Seville, says Cherbourg Shock a Madrid message, and to be en-

joying freedom-at least, inside sances. It is now clear that the naval the hotel, although he is "under bombardment and air attack on vigilance." Cherbourg a few days ago took the enemy by surprise.

Earlier reports said that he and Madume Lupescu had been taken It appears the shore defences from Seville to Granada.-Reuter. mistook the naval bsmbardment for part of the air attack for the only response to the fire from the British ships was marked intensification of A.A. fire of all types.

It was not until after the bombardment ceased and the Bri- tish force had withdrawn. the enemy's heavy batteries re

that

plied to the naval guns,

The threat of invasión stili

D.E.I. OIL PARLEY

persiste andƐ will perofct: an Both Britain and

the

long as naval units, bargo United States have been troops and air fóress are con-

Mr. Joseph Kennedy,

London, left England yes-- terday by air for the Unit- ed States.

Reports to the effect he would, resign his appointment on his re-

for. turn home have appeared

the Press accont some time in panied by expressions of the keen- est regret because Mr. Kennedy, his wife and his family have made themselves well liked in London during the three years of Ambassadorship. British his Wireless.

Mr. Hull Silent · Disclaiming any knowledge of

In the early days of. Septem-1 shipbuilding yards at Kiel, Ham ber, the reports these aircraft burg and Bremen were bombed brought back showed only small as well and extensive damage concentrations of men and ma-also done to occupied ports along terial but as time passed it be the Dutch-Beldium coasts. came more and more imposing The Air Ministry News Service and, before long, hundreds of emphasises that until lately it Ambassador Kennedy's plans, Mr. barges and other war materials would have been extremely un- Cordell Hull, U.S; Secretary were assembled at Antwerp. wise to let the enemy know State, told his press conference Calais, Dunkirk and Ostend. how much we knew of his pre- yesterday that "as far as I know,"

Many barges were

observed parations or of the effect on them the Ambassador will be returning from the air daily to be moving of R.A.F. hammering-Reuter. to his post in London.-Reuter. slowly from one canal to other. Small warships were also moved near the barges.

an-

These barges were self-pro- pelled, over 150 feet in length and each capable of carrying about two trainloads of men

centrated along the extensive kept fully informed of or material.

coastline of the enemy occupy the negotiations going on It was also known that

ed countries.

they remain, the "invasion" ports

Germany had commandeered

tons and armies of workmen

BRITISH EXPORT TRADE KEPT HIGH

They are still there and while in Batavia, Mr. Harold every available barge over 500 DESPITE INTENSIFICATION of enemy acti- will doubtless continue to be bat- Butler, Under-Secretary were employed in shipyards avity, exports of United Kingdom goods were fully tered by bombers of R.A.F, when for Foreign Affairs, said tering the bows of these vessels, maintained in September. soever it is considered necessary in reply to questions into enable tanks to be easily car-}

-British Wireless.

the House of Commons yesterday about oil sup-

Netherlands East Indies.

No decision has yet been reach-

GOVERNOR plies to Japan from the

OF ADEN

ried and, disembarked.

of

This was the most notable feature of the latest. Besides' concentrations- or trade returns which were issued to-day in London.

barges there were also › sub- marines in many harbours — some of onean-going' type: large motor-vessels; tugs and merchant ships.' Forty-five merchant ships were

The average value of exports per working day in September ac- tually exceeded the corresponding figure for August. Total exports of United Kingdom goods in Sep- tember amounted to £31,000,000

ed," he said, and the Government | reported at Le Havre on one oc- which substantially exceeded the would continue to be kept inform- Į casion,

J

total of £23,000,000 in September,

ed of the progress of the discus- Inland aircraft shelfers ware 1939. sloris.

The King has been pleased to accept the resignation of Licùten- Any arrangements for the future ant-Colonel Sir Bernart Reilly, rest entirely with the N.E.I.

Governor and Commander-in-| Government, Chlef of Aden; and has approved¦¦ Asked whether strong: repre- the appointment as his successor sentations will be made concern- of Mr. S. Hathorn Hall, now BH-ing thờ negotiations; Mr. Butler tish Resident in Zanzibar.

said that there: is- complete co-

being built on many aerodromes. from where it was expected enemy aircraft would assist in the invasión.

Railways, too, were particu -larly busy, especially between Germany and the Low- döun- trios.

RAF. Offensive

PREMIER

SCOTLAND

IN

After a year of war, overseas trade. figures testify to the suc- cess of the British Export Coun- The Prime Minister,. Mr. Win- by cil's efforts to find and develop ston Churchill, accompanied

surprise alternative marketo in view of Mrs. Churchill, paid a provalling. European conditions. visit on Tuesday to East Scotland During the six months ended for the purpose of inspecting the August 31 last, the United King-coust defences. dom's exports to countries out- Accompanied by a number of side: the European and Mediter-British and Polish army officers, ranean areas, have been above the Mr. Churchill made an extensive

Sir Bernard Reilly, who is 58, operation between the Govern- had many years experience in ments concerned. — Reuter. Aden when it was administered] Mr Butler stated that as the It was on September 5, that from India. and was appointed]British Government were aware the strong R:A.F. offensive against year earlier. The aggregate in- tour on foot, by car, and by spe first Governor when the Colony no agreement has yet been rench-the enemy began. Each invasion crease for the period is 39 mil-cial train" and expressed satisfac- was transferred to the Colonial cd and the negotiations. are con- base, in turn, came in for heavy lions or about 20 per cent.-Réu- tion with all the preparations ho Office in 1937-British Wireless. tinuing. Router.

bombardment. Naval docks, ter.

saw-Reuter.