NAVY AND ARMY READY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 58, Issue 283, 10 September 1938, Page 7

NAVY AND ARMY READY.

ON LARGER SCALE THAN ADMITTED. WHOLE FRONTIER UNDER OBSERVATION. * (United Press Association-Copyright.) (Received This Day, 11.30 a.m.) PARIS, Sept. 9. The French Navy is ready to sail at a moment’s notice. Effectives are stationed at Toulon and Brest, and the military preparations are equally complete, and are believed to be on a larger scale than is officially admitted. Observation balloons command the whole area fov miles round the frontier. WITH STEAM UP. FRENCH FLEET STANDING BY. (Received This Day, 9.25 a.m.) PARIS, September 9. The Mediterranean Fleet is at Toulon with steam up, standing by. Officials refuse to discuss file projected fleet movements. SHOREI LEAVE CANCELLED. ARSENAL STAFFS INCREASED. PARIS, September 9. Sailors are flocking into Brest, after being recalled from shore leave. The entire Atlantic Fleet of 62 warships : is in harbour and fully stocked for a three months’ cruise. It is able to leave at a moment’s notice. Naval arsenals are taking on extra staffs. A Marseilles message says that the dock workers, obeying a. Government requisition, are working all day under protest. The Miners’ Federation in Paris rejected by 21 votes to 7 a national strike proposal, and accepted terms for an agreement embodying more moderate demands. The French Foreign Minister (M. Georges Bonnet) has postponed his visit to" Geneva. The Government, having completed its pre-mobilisation measures, awaits the Germans’ next move. It will not ordpr mobilisation unless an overt act of aggression is made by Germany by violation of the Czech frontier. In the meantime the War Ministry is reviewing existing measures to protect the population from air attacks. HITLER AND NAZI LEADERS. (Received This Day, 9.25 a.m.) NUREMBERG, September 9. “Those who believe and count on Germany’s weakness will he disillusioned,” declared Herr Hitler, when addressing 180,000 Nazi officials. He added: “Now the horizon is clouded I am deeply happy to see around me a million party members.” Herr Hitler made no further reference to the international situation. It was declared that Germany’s bread and grain reserves are sufficient for two years. The frozen meat stores amounted to 62,000 tons, and the stores of animal and vegetable fats have been doubled. The leader of the Labour Corps announced that Herr Hitler had ordered the strength of the women’s section to be raised to 50,000.