British Shipping Ordered To Port

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 286, 3 December 1941, Page 7

British Shipping Ordered To Port

ON CHINA COAST U.S. Demands Explanation Of Jap. Military Moves

(United Press Association.—Copyright.—Hec. 1.30 p.m.) LONDON, December 2. The Associated Press representative in Shanghai reports that the British Admiralty has ordered all British China Coast shipping to proceed immediately to Hongkong. Led by Britain's new battleship Prince of Wales, the first reinforcements of Britain's new Eastern Fleet have arrived at Singapore naval base. Admiral Sir Tom Phillips' flagship was followed by other large units and a number of small units. While security reasons prevent the disclosure of the exact strength of the new arrivals, it can be said that the Eastern Fleet already consists of a number of heavy ships, supported by all necessary fleet auxiliaries. Admiral Phillips has been in Singapore for a week. There was no elaborate ceremonial associated with either his or the fleet's arrival. The comment in Singapore to-night is on the timeliness of the fleet's arrival. The feeling is widespread here that it is unnecessary to worry too much about the threat of war while capital ships are based in Singapore. The Eastern Fleet will rank in importance with the Home and Mediterranean Fleets, says the London Daily Telegraph's naval correspondent. He adds that the Eastern Fleet is understood to include ships of the China station, East Indies Squadron, Royal Australian Navy and the Royal New Zealand Navy. The U.S. State Department has officially announced that President Roosevelt has directed Mr. Summer Welles, UnderSecretary of State, to ask the Japanese Government for an explanation of the moves into Indo-China and towards Thailand, states a Washington message. Important Washington Conference President Roosevelt summoned Mr. Cordell Hull, Mr. H. L. Stimson, Secretary for War, Colonel Frank Knox, Secretary of the Navy, to a conference at the White House. Mr. Kurusu and Admiral Nomura, the Japanese envoys, had an hour's conference with Mr. Welles. Admiral Nomura said afterwards: We are not in a position to disclose anything. He talked and we listened." Both envoys stressed that Japan was anxious to continue the conversations and to hold the door open for a settlement. Admiral Nomura said Japan was giving weighty consideration to all aspects of the situation before replying to the United States. A j ." N ,°^ dy war — war wouldn't settle anything," said Admiral Nomura. There is no reason why we shouldn't settle these issues by diplomacy." «, Asked if he still thought he had a fighting chance of success, Mr. Kurusu replied: - Yes, I don't give up so easily." The envoys said General To jo's recent speech had' been incorrectly reported owing to a translation mistake made by a Japanese official. The essential passage should have read: "The practice of European Powers of checkmating one Oriental Power against another must be eliminated." v . , . The . , J^ pa " e ? e Government's deputy-spokesman, Mr. I-ichi Kichi said in Tokyo to-day: "There is a fairly big difference of J°w Ve l' Japan is h °P eful . a nd for that reason is continuing the Washington negotiations." ♦ T lt e J. apa " es f Cabinet has decided to continue the Washington talks until the last moment." In Tokyo the United States Government is being urged to reconsider its attitude. The Associated Press Tokyo correspondent says the Washington correspondent of the newspaper Asahi asserted that the T :r,'h he fi rTr C ° n t 9U Sin the St,tes is imminent. f * P " i C r ? fsrence «L° SUch action - although wellinformed foreign circles have predicted the step. other. "This is the stock-in-trade of ?iu p< l° p es against each therefore we must pS ttKi"o/SJSS and