FRENCH WARSHIPS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 122, 22 April 1940, Page 7

FRENCH WARSHIPS

RAPID CONSTRUCTION. GROWING SEA POWER. PROTECTION OF EMPIRE. (United Press' Association —By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) Received April 22, 10.30 a.m. PARIS, April 21. The Minister for tlie Navy (M. Campiiicki) stated that the 35,000 ton warships, the Richelieu and the Jean Bart, would shortly be ready for service. “We are ten months ahead of the normal construction time for the Jean Bart,” he said. “The construction of two other 35,000 ton ships is making rapid headway. “We will never hand over the smallest part of our Empire and therefore must have a very strong sea power.” ' REACHES SWEDEN. BRITISH CARGO SHIP. Received April 22, 10.30 a.m. GOTHENBURG, April 21. The first ship to reach Sweden with cargo from the outside world since the outbreak of war in Norway has arrived. The ship carried British coal and took 17 days. NAVAL DOCKYARD. CONTRACT IN TURKEY. Received April 22, 10.5 a.m. ISTANBUL, April 21. An agreement has been reached with British firms for the construction of a naval dockyard in the Golden Horn (the narrow inlet to the Bosphorus) costing £2,000,000. It will be completed in 1942. POLISH WARSHIP SUNK. CLAIM BY BERLIN. BERLIN, April 21. The German High Command reports that a U-boat sank a Polish destroyer north-east of the Shetlands. TWO SHIPS" BLOWN ' UP. MORE NAZI MINELAYING. LONDON, April 20. Tho British steamer Ilawnby (5404 tons) sank after an explosion off the south-east coast. Naval pinnaces picked up the crew of 3d. The Mersey (1037 tons) also sank off the south-east coast. Seven of her crew were taken to hospital. An eye-witness described o terrific explosion before the ship disappeared. Germany appears to have renewed minelaying by air off the south-east coast, which probably caused the loss of the Hawnby and Mersey. Two of the Mersey’s crew are dead and 11 are missing, including the captain. The Mersey sank in three minutes. According to tho Berlin radio the German Official News Agency claims that two British transports and one cruiser were directly Life during an air-raid. The report says that tho attacks occurred as the transports were preparing to disembark troops, many of whom jumped into the water and tried to swim ashore. The British Admiralty and War Office declare that a Beilin radio report that a transport was sunk or damaged off the Norwegian coast is untrue.