CRUISER LOST

Evening Star, Issue 23861, 16 April 1941, Page 7

CRUISER LOST

SUNK BY ENEMY TORPEDO BRITISH SUBMARINE ACCOUNTS FOR HEAVILY-LADEN TANKER - (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, April 15. (Received April 16, at 11.50 a.in.) Tho Admiralty announced that H.M.S. Donavcnture had been torpedoed while acting as escort to a convoy, and subsequently sank. It was also announced that H.M. submarine Tigris reported that she sank an armed and heavily-laden tanker of about 10,000 tons, which was bound ror a port in enemy-occupied France. The Tigris was commanded by Lieutenant Commander Bone, who has already received the D.S.O. and the D.S.C. THE NEW PACT RUSSIA AND JAPAN BRITAIN’S INTERPRETATION OF IMPLICATIONS (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, April 14. Authorities here are carefully examining, with all its implications, the Russiau-Japanese Pact of Neutrality, of which tho chief article declares that if cither tho Soviet or Japan becomes the object of military action by one third Power or more the other party shall observe neutrality throughout the duration of such conflict. It is regarded in the British Press as a further sample of the pursuit by Russia of her own unemotional policy and recognition by both, parties of the need for good neighbourly relations. Tho main provision would appear to have no groat importance for Japan, which is unlikely to suffer attack. On the other hand, tho neutrality pact would, in the event of a German attack on Russia, remove anxieties about security of the Soviet in the Far East. In exchange for this relief Russia has recognised Manchukuo. Note is taken of the fact that Japan is a military ally of Germany, and lias put on paper a promise not to move against Russia if Russia is attacked, presumably even by Germany. “ Thus,” says 1 The Times,’ “ although too much should not be read into the pact, diplomatic gains seem to go to Moscow.” ASTUTE DIPLOMACY. The ‘ Daily Telegraph,’ on the same point, remarks; “ The new pact looks very much like notice by Japan that the Tripartite Pact is inoperative. To secure that is an astute stroke of diplomacy on the part of Russia, the more so since it was gained apparently without any surrender of her right to continue sending arms and munitions to China. On this view, which alone fits the facts at present known, Russia has improved her position in Europe, for if she can rely on Japan’s neutrality she is enabled to take a, much stronger line against Germany in the Balkans. It would indeed be imprudent to assume that she intends, at any rate for the present, to risk, a breach with Germany, but she has undoubtedly freed her hands.” JAPANESE HOPES TOKIO, April 15. (Received April 16, at 8 a.m.) The Information Bureau Spokesman, Mr Ishii, asserting that the Neutrality and Non-aggression Pacts were “ practical sense and virtually the same,” said ho hoped that hy virtue of the new Russo-Japanese ‘pact the Soviet attitude would be more favourable towards Japan. RUSSO-AMERICAN TRADE RELATIONS TEMPORARY SUSPENSION OF CONVERSATIONS WASHINGTON, April 15. (Received April 16, at 11.25 a.m.) Diplomatic sources, predicated to-day that the Russian-Ainerican conversations on commercial relations would be halted temporarily until the meaning of the new Russian-Japanese neutrality treaty was clarified. Mr Sumner Welles and the Russian Ambassador have been meeting frequently for months in an effort to smooth out relations. Those talks were credited with the recent lifting of the moral embargo against shipments of planes to Russia. DIFFERENCES OF OPINION CHINESE NEWSPAPER COMMENT CHUNGKING, April 15. (Received April 16, at 8 a.m.) The official newspaper, ‘ Central Daily News,’ characterised'the pact as “ extremely regrettable,” asserting that the pact and also its accompanying declaration violated the 1937 SinoRussian non-aggression pact, also the 1924 agreement. The Soviet Union had repeatedly expressed its determination not to recognise Manchukuo, but it forgot its promise while the honourable word was still ringing in China's oars. The Communist newspaper ‘New China Daily ’ asserted that tho pact was entirely compatible with the nonaggression pact, adding that the promise not to invade what China considered Manchurian provinces did not constitute recognition of Manchukuo. STEEL INDUSTRY HIGHER WAGES IN AMERICA NEW YORK. April 14. Tho biggest steel producers, the United States Steel Corporation and the Bethlehem Steel Company, both announced wage increases of 10 cents an hour, affecting 330,000 workers.