ATTACKS ON SHIPPING

Greymouth Evening Star, 31 December 1940, Page 8

ATTACKS ON SHIPPING

Raiding and sabotage

EXTENSION IN PACIFIC

[B¥ : CABLE—PRE'SS-

NEW YORK, December 29. The Manila- correspondent- of the ; “New York Time's”..says that a deft-, nite extension of the war to the Pacific is seen in. the' intensification of German activities against British and other .shipping/ in - general; underthree heads: (1) sea< raiders’ open attacks on merchantmen; (2) the destruction of* cargoes before loading l of treatment so that they are spoiled before reaching* their destination; (3) placing of high explosives dis - -: guised as ; cargo or baggage-and- the attaching of- time-bombs to the hulls. Already at least 15 British, Dutch, and’ Norv/egian ships in Asiatic and Pacific waters have disappeared, usually without trace. The authorities are finding suppression of the activities difficult. Most of the ships had. mixed crews, and it is possible that some may have been fought by German agents. It is expected that the activities of German surface raiders will be intensified shortly. Numerous German mercantile and naval officers atpresent in. China and Japan are reported to have, registered for corsair work. Four German corsairs are operating in the south Pacific, between Australia and the mandated islands, and off Manila and- the coasts of China and India. It is certain that any captured- vessel is given a prize crew and is armed for raiding. There are indications that increased German activity in the Pacific is part of the Axis partners’ plan to cause far-reaching changes, both in the Far Eastern situation and the conduct of the European war. Observers believe that Germany is pressing Japan to speed up her southward advance, hoping thereby to involve the United States in war with Japan, and thus make United States assistance to Britain more difficult. Germany could then use the Axis agreement to send more ships for raiding in the. Pacific.