DARLAN DIATRIBE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20570, 2 June 1941, Page 5

DARLAN DIATRIBE

BRITAIN ACCUSED ‘DESTRUCTION’ SOUGHT SEA-POWER OF FRANCE (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Reed. June 2, noon.) VICHY, June 1. The Vice-Premier in the Vichy Government, Admiral Darlan, in a statement to the press of occupied France, bitterly attacked Britain. “After the Royal Air Force bombing of Srax, I am mors than ever determined to secure respect for France's rights to dispose freely of her ports, and lines of communication,” he said. “France is still strong enough not to put up with any violation of territory or insult to her flag.”

Summing up what he described as “British acts of piracy against France,” he said that 90 French ships, totalling 370,0110 tons, had been seized since last July. Ten ships totalling 30,000 tons had been appropriated in French colonial territories, and 33 ships, totalling 158,000 tons, had -been captured at sea since last June. Thirteen ships, totalling , 142,000 tons, had been impounded in America “under British orders.” Twenty-one ships, totalling 810,000 tons, had been lost since last July as a result of bombing, torpedoing or scuttling in lace of British threats. This represented a total value of 120,000,000 francs. Seizure Alleged “The British have also seized the French possession of New Caledonia,' said Admiral Darlan. He added that Britain accused France of sending Germany and Italy supplies and transporting arms, but Britain “aimed only to destroy French sea-power and separate France from her colonial empire. “I shall see that France takes the position of a great Power in Europe and the world,” declared Admiral Darlan. “This means that she must, take her share in the construction of the new order.” It is officially stated in Vichy that a second British air raid was made on the Tunisian port of Sfax on Friday, when three planes tried to hit an Italian merchantman. There were no casualties.

A battalion of French colonial troops has been posted on the west shore of Lake Chad, opposite Fort Archambault, whic.i die Free French hold. The French Ambassador in Madrid has handed the British Minister, Sir Samuel Hoare, a note from Vichy protesting against the bombing of the ship Rabelais in Sfax harbour and injury to eight French nationals.