SHIPS MISSING

Grey River Argus, 16 September 1941, Page 5

SHIPS MISSING

ON THE PACIFIC Some From New Zealand RAIDER AT WORK. [Aus. & N.Z. Cable Assn. I PANAMA CITY, Sept. 14. A reliable source said that an A<is raider has been operating in tne Pacific sea-lanes leading to the Panama Canal. The United Press of America reports that the activities of the raider which is persumed to be a heavily armed merchantman, have been known to the authorities for some time. (Received September 15, 1J..30 pm.). PANAMA CITY, Sept. 15. There are several British and Dutch vessels from New Zealand and from the Dutch East Indies, that are considerably overdue at the Canal zone. The authorities here say that the ships arriving in t.he Canal zone during the fortnight have reported receiving distress signals from vessels that have been attacked by a raider in the Pacific. The fact that ther e have beep no survivors from the missing ships found might indicate that the raider is holding them as hostages. MANILA, September 14. The Philippines Press and competent observers express the cpin'on that the entire Pacific will soon be included in the definition of United States defence waters. The arrival of additional United States navii strength in the Philippines, after Mr Roosevelt’s speech, is interpreted to mean that a hunt is about to begin in the Pacific for such raiders as that which sank the Kota Nopan. The placing of the whole of the Pacific within American defence waters is necessary, American observers say Firstly, to maintain the bridge of shipping between America, Malaya, and the “East Indies, in order to secure uninUerrupted supplies of rubber, tin, and fat-producing materials, to keep the democracies' factories at full blast. Secondly, to ensure the unblocked flow of United States war materials to the Philippines, Australia, the East Indies, Malaya and Rangoon, for transport along the Burma Road, to China', and oil and. weapons to Vladivostock for the Soviet. Thirdly, to safeguard normal commerce by the United States and Allied shipping between America and the Philppines, Guam, Midway, Canton, and other islands, which are bases in the American Pacific communications. RUSSIAN PACIFIC SHIPS. ORDERED TO SYDNEY. (Rec. 1.35). LONDON, Sept. 15. The Rome radio stated that Russian ships anchored at Bankok. at Hong Kong, and in the Philippines have been ordered to sail to Sydney.