LATE NEWS

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 170, 15 April 1939, Page 16

LATE NEWS

BRITISH PLANES IN GREECE Start Of Naval Staff Talks Expected RIVAL STRENGTHS IN MEDITERRANEAN (Independent Cable Service.) (Received April 15, 1.30 a.m.) LONDON, April 14. The Salonika correspondent of the “Daily Express” reports that 50 British warplanes are ■ being unloaded at ' Athens. Greece’s three major air ■ bases, Athens, Larissa and Salonika, will Immediately be strengthened. It is understood that staff talks between British and Greek naval officers will start shortly preparatory to Britain's being granted free entry to the Agean Islands. It is estimated that Greece has at present one million troops on a wartime footing. The comparative naval strengths in the Mediterranean are estimated as follows: Britain and France, four battleships averaging 30,000 tons, two battleships averaging "22,000 tons, two aircraft carriers, 10 heavy and nine lighter cruisgrs, 64 destroyers, eight torpedo boats; 48 ■ submarines and six motor torpedo boats. Italy and Germany: Two battleships of 23,600 tons, three “pocket battleships” of 10,000 tons, seven heavy and 18 lighter cruisers, 59 destroyers, 70 torpedo boats, 120 submarines and 50 motor torpedo boats. (These estimates include German warships to be sent on manoeuvres off the coast of Spain.) The naval correspondent of the “Daily Express” points out that Germany made free use of Basque ports during the Spanish war and established a submarine base at Pasajes soon after the outbreak. Meanwhile, it is reported from Warsaw that Russia has planned the biggest naval demonstration in Russian history to take place" on Herr Hitler’s birthday. The entire Soviet Baltic fleet, including aircraft carriers and submarines, will exercise in the Baltic. OPPOSITION PROTEST IN BULGARIA Pro-Germany Policy Denounced (Received April 15, 1.30 a.m.) SOFIA, April 14. The Opposition walked out from the Assembly as a protest against the majority decision to postpone the foreign affairs debate today. The Socialist leader, Doctor Zokharow, said that by means of the radio and the Press, the Government w T as creating a feeling that Bulgaria’s only hope was still Germany. “This policy,” he said, “involved us in war in 1915.” Officially-inspired newspapers, on the contrary, assert that Bulgaria will continue in her friendship with Yugoslavia and Turkey. The newspaper “Slovo” reports that the economic mission to be sent to Germany has been postponed because of misunderstandings. AMERICA READY TO FIGHT If Necessary To Preserve Independence (Received April 15, 2.10 a.m.) NEW YORK, April 14. The Pan-American Day speeches of President Roosevelt and Mr. Cordell Hull, Secretary of State, were broadcast to the world today. Speaking before the President, Mr. Hull emphasized the ability and determination of the American nations to light, if necessary, to preserve their independence. “Pan-Americanism,” he said, “stands for -an affirmation by one half of the world that it will not accept an international order based on force politics of on the abrogation of the underlying principles of justice, tolerance and law.” ALBANIA QUITS LEAGUE (Received April 14, 7.30 p.m.) TIRANA, April 14. Albania has withdrawn from the League of Nations. MOVEMENTS OF SOVIET WARSHIPS MOSCOW, April 13. Ji. fs semi-oflicially denied that the Soviet warships which left Istanbul on April 12 are bound for Greece.