1941-02-27 — Page 18

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THE CHINA MAIL, FEBRUARY 27, 1941.

Imperial Forces Closing In

On All East

African Fronts

MATSUOKA Pincer Operations TARANTO OFFER TO Against Keren SUCCESS

Make Good Progess CONFIRMED

MOSCOW

Japanese circles in Shanghai assert that the Japanese Foreign Minis- ter, Mr. Matsuoka, will shortly visit Moscow to sign an agreement with the Soviet, the Shanghai correspondent of the Free French Agency reports.

The agreement is sad to pro- vide for the demilitarisation of the Soviet-Manchukuo frontier; Rectification of that frontier 117 Russia's favour, and

11

Treaty Motificatum of the Port-mouth (which ended the Roroso-Japanese War

1904) placing Japanese economie pink- leges on Saghalten and fishing rights in Soviet waters on a pure- Iv commercial basis.

The correspondent emphasises the significance of Japanese cir cles canvassing a pact involving unilaterai concessions from Japan to Russia.

Hedd. that these suggest obs ret to imply a postponement a Japanese southward expansion ubor- expansion making that dinate to an agreement with the SOVIEL Reuter

EASTERN GROUP SUPPLIES

At question time in the Indian Assembly yesterday the Govern- ment spokesman said the newly appointed Eastern Group Supply Council, formed as a result of the Eastern Group Conference, would broudly speaking receive demands for supplies from overseas forces and governments of the Eastern Group countries and have them met, if possible, within the East- ern Group.

AUSTRALIA

BUILDING MERCHANTMEN

Senator McBride, Australian Minister of Supply, announced in Sydney yesterday that the Federal Govern- ment would begin im- mediately the build- ing of merchant ships.

-Reuter.

RUSSIA AND RUMANIA TALK TRADE

FURTHER PROGRESS by patriot forces in Abyssinia is reported in the latest communi- que from G.H.Q., Cairo, which tells of con- tinued thrusts on three fronts.

"In Eritrea," says the communique, "our northern column advancing towards Keren has again made satisfactory progress. About Keren itself local activity continues.

"In Abyssinia, patriot forces, supported by Bri- tish troops, have successfully increased the area of their penetration in the Gojjam area and further south are causing the evacuation of more Italian forts.

to

and

"Following the enemy with-30 miles from Juba waved white!

Italian Somaliland. flags in token of their desire drawal from

on Tuesday surrender. West African troops cuptured Brava, from which port our advance is again continuing.

"In the Gelib area prisoners so far counted number 64 officers other ranks. together and 423 with 886 colonial troops." A South African formation cap- tured Gelib after having crossed

river near the

the mouth and

made an exceedingly rapid march NEGOTIATIONS FOR A COM-

for 60 miles up river. clearing MERCIAL TREATY BETWEEN

enemy opposition all the way, says RUSSIA AND RUMANIA, WHICH

an official commumque issued HAVE BEEN PROCEEDING | Nairobi yesterday. DURING THE PAST YEAR, ENDED YESTERDAY WITH THE

SIGNING OF A TRADE AND SHIPPING AGREEMENT AND AN AGREEMENT CONCERN- ING GOODS AND PAYMENTS

This is according to a Moscow telegram to the official German news agency.

the An exchange of goods to value of $8,000,000 is foreseen in the first treaty year.

X-

Rumania will deliver chiefly naptha and mineral oils in change for cotton and manganese.

- Reuter.

Night March in Desert

In

Here East having crossed the bridgeheads seized by a Gold Coast regiment. carried out a right march through desert country and cut the only road cominunications between Gelib and Brava, thus preventing the escape of the main body.

African formations,

The Gold Coast brigade which had borne the brunt of the ear. ly fighting across the Juba, completed the operation and cut off all avenues of escape to the north.

the A conservative estimate of The Council would work

number of prisoners is 3,000, while the through the governments of

in addition many enemy who es- various countries concerned,

bush are now The International Tea Com-caped to the decisions were not mandatory the Government of India uormittee has reduced the quota by turning and surrendering. would they be placed before the 2 per cent to 90 per cent for Waving White Flags

next control

ending case the Assembly for discussion in they were accepted by the Gov- March 31, 1942, says Reuter from ernment of India --Reuter,

Its to

TEA QUOTA CUT

Linden

year

re-

An aeroplane reported that the

enemy retreating along the beach

C. Ingenohls Cigars

C.INGENOHL'S

baxmader Orient ›

TEI FAİREBILDARDU SORME

Large quantities of guns Ammunition were captured.

The South African Air Force cooperated In the capture of Ge lib,

enemy machine-gunning transport which was trying escape.

to

A bombardment of enemy posi- tions and dumps further along the const was successfully carried out by the Navy.—Reuter.

the

Damage done to Italian fleet by the British Fleet Air Arm at Taranto, as announced by the Ad- miralty, has been fully confirmed by subsequent reports, Mr. A. V. Alexan- der, First Lord of the Ad- when miralty, revealed questioned on the subject in the Commons yester- day.

one

that Mr. Alexander disclosed

the Cavour battleship ot class has apparently been aban- doned as a total loss.

Another vessel of this class battleship and a Vittoria class were badly damaged and were still out of action.

There was no further informa- cruisers tion regarding the two which were shown by an aerial stur- photograph to be listing to board and surrounded by oil fuel. auxiliary big or regarding two ships lying with their sterns un-.

der water. Reuter.

SOMALILAND

CAPITAL FALLS: MAJOR STROKE

"ALTHOUGH HUNDREDS of miles of valueless and almost uninhabitable country lie between Mogadiscio and Bardafui, cap- ture of the capital of Italian Somaliland is a major stroke in the coastal offensive," runs a cable received in London from Nairobi last night.

It continues: "From Mogadiscio two all- weather roads, considered equal to the best in Italian East Africa, run one northwards to- wards the Djibouti railway and Hafar and the other westwards to Lugh.

"The final collapse of the Juba "South Africans captured Gob- front emphasises the lesson learn-wen, Jumbo and Gelib with its ed in France of the vulnerability garrison, while East Africans and of a static river defensive in the West Africans shared in the tak- face of mobile forces.

ing of the capital." Router.

"By a series of rapid feints the defenders were bewildered pontoons easily countered

and

value of bridgeheads,

and

the

NAZI NAVAL

MAN KILLED

"News that the enemy was across the river against all ex- pectation

making was mushroom Infoada Into their lines, cayeed the collapse of Italian morale,

ONE OF THE BEST-KNOWN U-BOAT

COMMANDERS

OF

"All forces share the glory of THE LAST WAR, VICE-ADMIR- the success.

AL LOTHAR DE LA PERRIERE, "The King's African Rifles A GERMAN NAVAL COMMAN- captured Libbe, Afmadu and DER FOR. OCCUPIED TERRI- Kismayu and cut off the Gelib TORY, MET WITH A FATAL garrison from Brava.

Garrison Captured:

ACCIDENT ON MONDAY, IT WAS ANNOUNCED IN BERLIN YESTERDAY.

Admiral Raader, Commander... "The Gold Coast Regiment cap-in-Chief of the German Grand tured Bulo Erillo and forced the Fleet, yesterday pald a warm tri Juba River at Taveta Island, bute, to the dead man, whom he capturing Brava and cutting off declared "was honoured by friend Gelib,from the north,

" and "too alike—Reuter,

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