TO BAR U.S.A.

Grey River Argus, 19 March 1941, Page 5

TO BAR U.S.A.

LONG-RANGE U-BOAT To Operate Near New York REPORT QF GERMAN PLANS [Aus. & N.Z. Cable Assn.l (Received March 18, 7.15 p.m.) WASHINGTON, March 17. It is learned that the United States has been informed that Germany plans to start her submarine operations off the United States coa'st, near New York. , According to a foreign source, the. German Navy is sending a long-range submarine, capable of operating over thousands of miles, to harass shipping off the Atlantic coast. Information regarding the movements of the submarine had been communicated to the United States, but without any actual details concerning the present location. According to the report, it is believed that the primary purpose of i sending the submarine within the American zone is to disorganise the present shipping lanes, which have become increasingly vital to Britain since the Lend and Lease Bill was passed. The German Embassy has declined to comment on the submarine report. An informed German source said that the report “must be an invention.” German Official DISCREDITS THE REPORT (Received March 18, 11.35 p.m.) WASHINGTON, March 18. The German Naval Attache here, Vice-Admiral Robert Witthoeft Emden, said that he doubted the accuracy of the long-range submarine report. He termed the report “incredible.” Brazil Defences TO BE STRENGTHENED (Received March 18, 11.45 p.m.) NATAL (Brazil), March 18. The Brazil Minister of Marine, Admiral Aristides Guilhem, has been inspecting the naval base here, which is near an aerial hopping-off point for Africa. He" announced that the Brazil Government will strengthen the base, consistent with its strategic importance, making the region a sentinel for Brazil’s defence system. He said that he visualised a' chain of powerful bases from the Rio Grande to Dosol, Para. It is significant that a United States cruiser, the Vincennes, is visiting the vicinity.