FRENCH NAVAL MYSTERY

Greymouth Evening Star, 17 September 1940, Page 8

FRENCH NAVAL MYSTERY

SHIPS FOR WEST AFRICA CONVOY MISSION DOUBTED [BY CABLE —PRESS ASSN. —-COPYRIGHT.J (Recd. September 17, 9.5 a.m.) LONDON, September 16. . The “Daily Telegraph’s” Diplomatic Correspondent says: The arrival of six French warships at Dakar from Toulon, at present cannot be clearly interpreted. The Bi'itish naval authorities allowed them to pass, only because they were leaving and not entering the Mediterranean, a result of which is that six modern French warships are withdrawn from possible seizure by Italy and Germany. One theory is that the ships are intended to replace the visit to Africa by General Weygand, which he was unable to carry out owing to a “mysterious accident” to the plane in which he was travelling. Possibly he and the French naval authorities would not be surprised to find the position in French Africa developing in a manner with which they can no longer cope. • It is hardly credible that it is seriously. proposed to use these ships to escort a convoy of supply ships to France. The Vichy Government must know there is not the slightest hope of the British blockade relaxing in its favour.

EX-MINISTERS AWAIT TRIAL , LONDON, September 15. A message from Vichy states that M. Leon Blum, former French Prime Minister and Socialist leader, has been arrested and imprisoned in the castle which holds MM. Reynaud, Daladier, and Mandel, who are awaiting the war guilt trials. The Germans describe the castle as having thick grey walls and a moat, which makes escape impossible. The Ministers are not allowed to communicate and they have to share their meals with warders and pay for them out of their own pocket. Another prisoner is General Gamelin, who is said to be writing a book on military science. TOWN HEAVILY FINED. (Recd. September 17, 1.40 p.m.) LONDON, September 16. “The Times’s” correspondent on the French frontier says that the Germans have fined Nantes 5,000,000 francs, for cutting a second time a German army cable. The fine for the first sabotage was 2,000,000 francs. The Mayor has appealed to the citizens to avoid such expensive demonstrations, which have already cost 100 francs per capita. NOUMEA QUIET. AUCKLAND, September 16. No indications of unrest likely to lead to open revolt against the French administration of Noumea were noticed by travellers by the American Clipper, which arrived from Noumea to-day. They reported that the island seemed quiet, though the strongly pro-British opinions reported by former Clipper visitors to Noumea had in no way abated. “I saw no sign of revolt at Noumea,” said Mr. Julius M. Rapaport, of Pennsylvania. “I was told that a very large majority of the people there are for General de Gaulle, and are strongly in sympathy with Britain.” n . . Confusion in the nickel industry was also reported. Statistics and vital information had been__prepared and entrusted to M. Paul Vois, who had visited Australia. He was returning to Noumea on a ship _ that was thought to have fallen victim to an enemy raider, and with him had disappeared important documents he was carrying, together with much-needed information about the results of his mission. Stocks of nickel were now accumulating, and those on the island did not know how to dispose of them, or what action to take.