MYSTERY FLEET

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 April 1938, Page 7

MYSTERY FLEET

ALARM IN PHILIPPINES U.S.A. TO INVESTIGATE [RY CABLE —PRESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT.] NEW YORK, April 14. The Manila correspondent of the United Press has reported that part of the United States Asiatic fleet, which is at present, on manoeuvres in the China Sea, may be ordered to Davao, in the Philippines, to investigate the presence of 22 mystery vessels resembling Japanese destroyers. The Customs collector at Davao said that the flotilla comprised either destroyers or submarines. They did not display their colours and they repeatedly ignored requests made by wireless as to their identity. A message from Manila says two United States destroyers, two bombers. and three. Philippines army aeroplanes have been ordered to Davao to investigate the mystery ships. The United States fleet headquarters, however, ridicule the idea that they would be Japanese warcraft. The general opinion is that the vessels are fishing craft, whicn ran into the Gulf of Davao to escape stormy weather. Latest radio reports state that 20 ships moved to an anchorage- to a point 60 nautical miles from Davao city, in the mouth of the gulf. The United Stales High Commissioner (Mr. I’. V. McNutt), who is receiving full reports, states that no nation has requested diplomatic permis-■-■:on to visit Philippines waters. i speculation mentions the possibility of a gesture in answer to the recently ieported visit of an American cruiser to one of the Japanese mandated islands in the midPacific during manoeuvres.

The Washington correspondent of the United Press makes the suggestion that the mystery ships may be Americans manoeuvring secretly to test the vulnerability of the islands. Members of the War Board are reported to be perturbed, inasmuch as the mere presence of a mystery fleet, even if it is American, emphasises the complete indefensibility of the islands against a surprise attack. «

Whether they were American or foreign, they operated so secretly that they slipped inside Admiral Yarnell’s sphere of defence without detection. It is suggested that this might be a stratagem devised by the War Board to dramatise the islands’ vulnerability. Speedy investigation is hampered by the fact that the Philippines Government has no Customs cutters in that area. JAP. DUMMY SOLDIERS ? SHANGHAI, April 14. Ten thousand Chinese regulars appeared at Sunkiang to assist the guerrilla fighters who are harrying the Japanese supply line from Wulm to Nanking. In support of the belief that the Japanese are short of man-power, the Chinese report that a gale blew over straw dummy soldiers used at Yishien to delude the Chinese that they were confronted by a larger armj r than that actually facing them. Shortage of supplies is holding up the Japanese campaign in Shantung. JAPANESE SUCCESSES. (Recd. April 16, Noon.) TOKIO, April 15. The Domei Agency reports that the Japanese in Shansi liquidated eight Chinese divisions in the Tahsing ranges, and captured several towns.

CHINESE LEADERS WOUNDED. (Recd. April 16, 8 a.m.j TOKIO, April 15The Japanese claim that Chang Kaishek was wounded in both legs, at the bombing of Changsha on April 10. Mr Soong was wounded in the stomach. BRITISH LOANS FOR CHINA LONDON, April 14. Lieut.-Col. D. J. Colville, replying for the Government, to a question in the House of Commons, said: If the Chinese Government finds it possible to obtain long term credits from British financial institutions, the Governments will sympathetically consider any request for its consent to such an operation. SOVIET TROOPS REINFORCED SHANGHAI, April 14. A Soviet notification has been given of the suspension of trans-Siberian railway visas. This is believed to mask secret new concentrations of Soviet troops, in view of tension between the Soviet and Japan. CONSUL-GENERAL’S CLAIM. SYDNEY, April 15. The Japanese Consul-General to New Zealand, Mr. Gunji, told the “Morning Herald” that Japan had no territorial ambitions in China. China, he said, was now under Communistic rule, and Japan was in the vanguard of the fight against Communism in the Far East. He added that Japan was most anxious, to increase her oversea trade, in order to provide employment and sustenance for her increasing population. Mr. Gunji intends to visit Canberra and Melbourne before he goes to Wellington.