U-BOAT CAMPAIGN

Greymouth Evening Star, 19 October 1939, Page 8

U-BOAT CAMPAIGN

SINKING OF BRETAGNE EYE-WITNESS’S ACCOUNT [by CABLE PRESS ASSN. COPYRIGHT.] (Reed. October 19, 10.30 a.m.) LONDON, October 18. The Paris correspondent of the Associated Press of America states that the author, Jose Germain, who is a survivor of the, French ship Bretagne,] gave the first eye-witness account of the sinking. Germain, who was taken aboard a destroyer, five hours aftei the vessel sank, said:: “The Bretagne’s sirens gave the alarm, ■whereupon the captain ordered full steam ahead. He steered a zigzag course, in trying to escape, but the submarine followed him like a shark, getting ahead and barring the way. It attacked us without warning, whereupon the passengers and crew took to the boats.” FINNISH SHIPS SEIZED. LONDON, October 18. The Stockholm correspondent of the British United Press says the Germans seized three Finnish snips near the Aaland Islands. The Scandinavic and Tarno, bound for Holland, were taken to Kiel, and the Asturias, bound for Baltimore, was taken to Stettin. All were laden with timber products. A fourth Finnish ship, the Snabb, ■was examined, but was allowed to proceed.

CANADIAN DEFENCES OTTAWA, October 18. A Defence Department spokesman, whose identity was concealed, announced in a broadcast that antisubmarine nets and defences against motor torpedo-boats had been laid or were being laid in harbours on both Canadian coasts. He also said that naval units and aeroplanes were constantly 7 patrolling the coasts. INSURANCE RATES REDUCED COPENHAGEN, October IS. War risk insurance rates, respecting goods destined for Britain and French Channel ports, carried in Danish and certain other neutral ships, have been reduced from 7J to three per cent. ATHENIA’S CARGO CARRIAGE OF ARMS DENIED (Received October 19, 1.40 p.m.) MONTREAL, October 18.. An officer of the Donaldson Atlantic Line denied that the Athenia carried arms or munitions. “She : had only a small cargo of 880 tons aboard, consisting of fire-bricks, whisky, soft goods, steel, machinery, and small merchandise. It is apparent that, with only 880 tons, no arms or munitions could possibly 7 have been carried,” he said.

GUNNERY INSTRUCTION COURSE FOR MERCHANT SEAMEN (Recd. Oct. 19, 10.30 a.m.).' RUGBY, October 18. In several schools, on training ships and elsewhere, officers and petty officers of the Royal Navy are training merchant seamen in the use of guns, so that they can handle the defensive armaments with which passenger ships, cargo vessels, trading steamers and tramps are being equipped. There is no lack of volunteers for training. The course lasts a fortnight and'the men are taught low-angle and highangle gunnery, arid are given lectures in trade protection and defence, against submarines, mines and gas. In the first week of the war, at one of these schools, 87 officers and men were undergoing training. Last week the figure was over 200.