GERMAN RAIDERS IN JAPANESE PORTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 309, 30 December 1940, Page 7

GERMAN RAIDERS IN JAPANESE PORTS.

SAID TO BE ARMING. U.S. Naval Authorities Investigating Report. United Press Association.—Copyright. NEW YORK. Dec. 29. it is reliably stated, says a message from Manila, that the United States naval authorities are giving l the closest attention to the reported arming: of at least 12 German vessels at present in Japanese porta or Japanese-controlled harbours in China, for raiding activities in the Pacific. It is understood that several of these German ships are already engaged in provisioning and refuelling the German raiders which are at present active in Australian waters and the Indian Ocean, and they are probably making their rendezvous in Japanese-mandated islands.

Authoritative American defence officials express the opinion that the German vessels will be completely armed hv midJanuary. They will constitute riitler's aid to Japan in starting her programme of southward expansion, which will be timed to coincide with action by Germany in south-east Europe—immobilising the United States Fleet in the Pacific while Britain urgently needs naval assistance in the Mediterranean. The officials said foreign intelligence reports indicated that numerous Germans had been arriving in Japan for months, and that Hitler was pressing Japan to "put the squeeze on" the United States while Hitler strikes in Europe.

Xaval authorities at Manila understand the German vessels will not only be used as commerce raiders in an effort to drive British shipping from the Pacific and Indian Ocean routes, but may also be used as the vanguard of Japanese moves in the Dutch East Indies.

A message from Tokyo eavs the spokesman of the Japanese Xavv characterised as "false and fabricated" the reports that German vessels in Japanesecontrolled China harbours are being armed for raiding activities.

Three Haiders in pacific? Naval circles in Washington believe there are perhaps eight German surface raiders operating in the Atlantic and the Pacific. It is believed there are two or three in the Pacific, probably five others in the North and South Atlantic. At least some of them, particularly those in the Pacific, are believed to be refuelled and provisioned at secret bases. Naval authorities are confident that all will eventually be caught and destroyed.