Britain Hastens Preparations

Northern Advocate, 29 September 1938, Page 2

Britain Hastens Preparations

LONDON, September 28.

Faced with the grim facts that hours, not days, remain to decide the fate of nations, London, calmly but terribly anxious since Mr Chamberlain’s broadcast, sought unsuccessfully for a glimmer of hope in the early morning p news from Europe. All waiting to see what happens. .The King held a Privy Council at Buckingham Palace, and signed four Royal Proclamations calling up the ( officers and men of the Navy and p Royal Marine Reserves. .The First Lord of the Admiralty, Mr A. Duff-Cooper, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sir John Simon, the Home Secretary, Sir Samuel Hoare, the Lord High Chancellor, Lord

Maugham, and the Lord President of the Council, Viscount Hailshnm, were

present. The Ministers looked very grave as they drove into the fore-

court of the Palace, where they were cheered by crowds. The Order-in-Council under which defensive units were called up yesterday is published. It states that the King has declared that a state of emergency exists. There were Scenes of activity ‘all

night. ■ Special messengers raced through London. Trench diggers re-

doubled their efforts. Streams of sand-laden lorries were moving continuously through vital areas. The anti-aircraft forces were placed fully in position, and Londoners awoke to tho spectacle of long guns pointing silently toward the sky.

The Canadian Pacific Steamship Company, says a message from Montreal, has been advised that the Admiralty Iras taken over the liner Em-

S' A ‘a~ \ press of Australia temporarily. At > present the vessel is at Southampton. The High Commissioner for Australia, Mr S. M. Bruce, visited No. 10, Downing Street. Thirty-six men at King’s Lynn, Norfolk, refused to load a German steamer with 100 tons of pig iron for Ham- > burg. They said; “We should not load cargo which may be used against us ' in a few days.’’ The naval proclamations call up all 'officers and men of the Royal Naval Reserve, the Royal Fleet Reserve, and the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, yi and also, extend the service of those serving in the Royal Navy and Royal Marines. The orders call out officers on their : retired and emergency lists of the Navy and Royal Marines, as well as special reserve naval engineer officers and Royal Marine special reserve officers.