RAIDERS IN THE PACIFIC

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 156, 30 December 1940, Page 6

RAIDERS IN THE PACIFIC

The conclusion, voiced by Australian leaders, Mr. Menzies and Mr. Hughes, on Saturday, that enemy raiders in the Pacific must have received for their destructive operations assistance from sources much nearer to them than Europe, is again referred to in today's news. A message from Manila states that United States naval circles are giving very close attention to a report of the arming of at least twelve German vessels which are at present in harbours in Japan and Japanese-con-trolled harbours in China for raiding activities in the Pacific. It is further suggested that several vessels are engaged in provisioning and refuelling German raiders, "probably making a rendezvous in islands under Japanese mandate." The story, which is amplified in the news, is naturally difficult to confirm in the present situation, and the Japanese navy spokesman at Tokio characterised as "false and fabricated" the various reports of Japanese activities in this direction. At the same time the Australian Minister of the Navy (Mr. Hughes) states, on the basis of radio messages from Nauru, that the raider which did so much damage to the loading appliances and other machinery at the island used the name of Nanyo Mam or Manyo Maru, both of which appear in Lloyd's Register. The vessel also masqueraded under the Japanese flag. While United States naval circles in Washington are confident that all the raiders will eventually be caught, or destroyed, the task of the Navy in searching for these craft in a wide ocean studded with islands presents difficulties that call for much patience and perseverance before they can be solved.