GREEK SHIPS BOMBED

Greymouth Evening Star, 19 August 1940, Page 7

GREEK SHIPS BOMBED

ITALIAN APOLOGY

GERMAN-TURKISH TALK

[feY CABLE —PRESS ASSN.—COPYRIGHT.]

LONDON, August 18. Italy is apologising to Greece for the bombing yesterday, of two Greek destroyers. The destroyers were travelling to the island of Tinos carrying children who were to attend the Feast of the Assumption, and it was during this voyage that bombs were dropped by Italian aeroplanes. The destroyers were the King George I. and the Queen Olga. Both were slightly damaged. In ..spite of a shower of bombs the destroyers did not retaliate, but zigzagged at high speed. An Italian Note, which indicated that an apology would be forthcoming, requested the Greek authorities to give notification of the movements of Greek ships so as to prevent future misunderstandings. It is believed that Greece has agreed to give such notification.

Meanwhile it iA reported from Istanbul that the Turkish Prime Minister (Dr. Reyfik Saydam). conferred with the Greek Minister and held a conference with the Navy and Army chiefs. Turkey is viewing the Italian-Greek situation increasingly seriously. The President (General Ineunu) also conferred-with the German Ambassador (Herr von Papen). It is officially announced in Athens that the partial mobilisation of Greek reservists has been ordered for August 20. It is reported . from Switzerland that the interview of the German Ambassador to Athens with the Foreign Minister caused a sensation. The Ambassador is reported to have declared that the German attitude was identical with the Italian and that Germany demanded a settlement of the Albanian and also the Corfu and Epirus problems. Germany is also reported to be demanding that Greece enter the axis sphere of influence. According to a report from New York, two Greek merchantmen have been sunk on their way from South America to Africa. Nine lives were lost on one of the vessels. One ship was of 4100 tons and the other was of 3500 tons. RUMANIAN CONCESSIONS. BUCHAREST, August 17. It is understood that after further negotiations between Rumania and Bulgaria on the Dobrudja issue, the Rumanian Government has agreed to cede the areas of Silistra and Balcic to Bulgaria. EXPULSIONS FROM JUGOSLAVIA. (Recd. August 19, 11.40 a.m.) ROME, August 18. The News Agency’s Belgrade correspondent reports that Ralph Parker, described as the British Consul at Skoplje, Terence Atkinson, the “Daily Mail’s” Belgrade correspondent, and Rudolph Singer, a Swiss journalist, have been expelled from Jugoslavia, allegedly for spreading nfiws -about Albania, calculated to disturb Jugo,-slav-Italian relations.