ENEMY WARSHIP TORPEDOED

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23299, 8 April 1941, Page 7

ENEMY WARSHIP TORPEDOED

ARRIVAL

British Aircraft’s Success

ATTACK OFF COAST OF FRANCE

(Received April 7, 11 p.m.) (U.P.A.) LONDON, April 7. A Beaufort aeroplane torpedoed a German destroyer off the coast of north-west France yesterday. The pilot of the Beaufort, who was on his first operational flight, came 'down low and machine-gunned the destroyer. He then launched a torpedo, which hit the destroyer amidships. Messerschmitt fighters protecting the destroyer were beaten off. Spitfires yesterday afternoon attacked aerodromes, lorries, and gun emplacements in occupied France. Enemy air activity over Britain last night was slight and there was very little activity during daylight, a single raider doing slight damage in a south coast town. Some houses were destroyed, but there were no casualties.

BATTLESHIP IN NEW YORK

BRITISH VESSEL’S

BIG COLLISION MAT AMIDSHIPS

(Received April 7, 11.15 p.m.)

(U.P.A.) NEW YORK, April 7. News of the arrival of a British battleship can now be published. The New York “Herald-Tribune” describes the ship as being of the Queen Elizabeth class (31,100 tons), probably the Malaya. Apparently the vessel is holed because a big collision mat is visible amidships. , , , . It is understood that the battleship intends to refuel and it might later be docked in the Brooklyn navy yard. News agencies this evening requested non-publication of news of the vessel’s arrival, but dozens of sailors wearing K.M.S. Malaya caps visited Times Square and bought cigarettes with Gibraltar money.

STRIKES IN U.S. DENOUNCED

FRAUDULENT VOTE AT ONE PLANT PROGRESS OF ARMAMENT PROGRAMME (Received April 7, 7.30 p.m.) NEW YORK. April' 6. The chief of the production division of the National Defence Advispry Commission (Mr W. S. Knudsen), in an address, denounced the labour stoppages in the United States. He said that the major stoppages were purely for the speeding up of union organisation in the plants, and he added that it had been proved that the original strike vote at the Allis-Chalmers plant was fraudulent. The strike was called, without the consent of members of the union. Mr Knudsen recommended that strike votes be taken under supervision of the Labour Department, and a prestrike “cooling off” period be mandatory. Summing up the progress of re-arma-ment, Mr Knudsen said that 784 defence factories and 60 per cent, of the completed powder and T.N.T. plants were entering production on schedule. The small arms trade was ahead of schedule. Army and Navy construction was “better than hklf behind us.”

The Mediation. Board later announced that a tentative agreement had been reached for the settlement of the dispute at the Allis-Chalmers plant. The agreement would be subject to approval by the members of the Automobile Workers’ Union.

DEFENCES IN THE PACIFIC

CONFERENCE IN MANILA

(Received April 7, 11 p.m.) MANILA. April 7.

The United States Army staged an air demonstration to celebrate Army Day. Thirty-six new pursuit aeroplanes took part in the display. Meanwhile, army officials prepared to receive Air Chief Marshal Sir Robert Brooke-Popham, British Comman-der-in-Chief in the Far East and the Netherlands Foreign Minister, Dr. van Kleffens on Tuesday for what is considered a most important conference on co-ordinated Pacific defences.

AMERICAN NAVAL POWER

(Received April 7, 10.15 p.rn.) ’ WASHINGTON, April 7.

The Foreign Policy Association reported that the United States Navy has attained a virtual war footing. “It becomes increasingly clear,” the association said, "that America might be obliged to participate in naval warfare with the ships she now possesses.” The association concluded that the navy’s disposition already conforms to the political situation.

GENERAL SIKORSKY IN NEW YORK

WASHINGTON, April 7.

General Sikorsky, the Polish Com-mander-in-Chief has arrived in New York from Canada, where he signed a pact under which Canadian Poles will form a separate army for overseas service.

. ITALIANS EXECUTE PARACHUTIST

LONDON. April 6,

Taken prisoner with the British parachutists who recently landed in Italy, an- Italian subject, named Picchi. whose age was 44, has been declared a traitor by a special Tribunal for the Defence of the State, and executed by a firing squad.

An official statement in Rome, announcing this, admitted that the parachutists committed acts of sabotage in the Calabrian region.