COASTGUARD SHIP FIRED AT

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 20988, 17 October 1933, Page 9

COASTGUARD SHIP FIRED AT

Finnish Allegations BRITISH SMUGGLERS BLAMED (CNITr.D I'll I-'.** ASSOCIATION ■• US' KL.I.LTIUC TELE(,K/.I'!I- - Cori'KIGHT. j (Received October 16. 11.57 p.m.) HELSINGFORS, October 16. A British vessel is alleged to have fired at two Finnish coastguard cutters while they were capturing two other ships accused of smuggling. One of the cutters, after discharging blanks, returned the fire, and gave chase, but the British vessel escaped. If is understood that the Finnish Government views the alleged outrage gravely, and that serious repercussions are likely. I.The importation of alcoholic liquor into Finland is subject to Government control and monopoly, and during the last seven or eight years smuggling has been taking place on an extensive scale. A message published yesterday said that, there was abundant evidence that the immunity from seizure outside territorial waters enjoyed by vessels flying the British flag was resulting in the number of liquor smugglers of foreign nationality being enabled to engage in the traffic on an increasingly large .scale in ships registered in the United Kingdom. Acfording to the Finnish authorities, 15 of them wore at present actually engaged. Finnish opinion had become much exercised at the continuance of this traffic by internatirmal adventurers under the protection of the British flag, and the recent blowing i;p of one of the Finnish coastguard patrol boats had given rise to grave indignation. Under a new convention signed on Friday, Finnish Government vessels would be entitled to stop and if necessary arrest vessels (lying the British (lag which were suspected of smuggling liquor into Finland.l