DASH FOR SEA

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23816, 18 November 1940, Page 7

DASH FOR SEA

FOUR GERMAN SHIPS ESCAPE PREVENTED ONE VESSEL SET AFIRE By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received November 17, 6.50 p.m.) NEW YORK. Nov. 16 It is reported from Mexico City that the four German ships which had been sheltering at Tampico—the Phrvgia, Orinoco. Rhein, and Jdanvald —suddenly left Tampico on Friday night. Soon afterward, however, the Phrygia was seen to be burning fiercely off the mouth of the Panuco River, and the other three vessels returned to Tampico. It is staled that a British warship intercepted the German ships. Watchers from rooftops in Tampico saw the rays of powerful searchlights crossing each other on the horizon beyond the blazing ship; but since no gunfire was heard it is believed the burning ship was set on fire by her own crew. German Captains' Stories Two of the German captains. Heinricli Froemke, of the Idarwald, and Elnno Ullferf, of the Rhein, alleged under oath that four destroyers, presumably British or Canadian, pursued them inside Mexican territorial waters. Froemke said a destroyer signalled demanding his surrender, and then chased his ship to within two miles of the coast. Ullferf asserted that a warship tried to intercept him, but the Mexican gunboat Queretaro interfered. A report' from Tampico says the Mexican Government has ordered the gunboat to inspect the wreckage of the scuttled vessel Phrygia. "Flight in Panic" Lt is believed in New York that the ships were loaded with food and fuel, intended perhaps for a German raider, with which they were to keep a rendezvous somewhere in the Caribbean Sea'. ' The latest version from Tampico is that there was no British ship near by, but three American destroyers on the neutrality patrol were waiting to escort the British freighter Olivebank to the United States. The destroyers exchanged coded signals with the Olivebank. which the German ships interpreted as possible orders to attack, and decided to turn back, the captain of the Phrygia scuttling his ship in a panic. The Phrygia was a vessel of 4137 tons; the Orinoco is 9660 tons, the Rhein 6031 tons and the Idarwald 5035 tons. All except the Idarwald are motor-vessels. REPORTED SUNK ENEMY FREIGHTER 'S ' : GERMAN PILOTS ON BOARD (Received November 37, 6.50 p.m.) NEW YORK, Nov. 16 New York shipping circles have received a report that the German freighter Helgoland, which was reported to have sailed from a Colombian port a fortnight ago carrying German pilots and technicians, and was later seen alongside an unidentified warship, has been cornered and sunk in the Caribbean Sea by British warships. AIR SERVICE PLANS NORTH PACIFIC ROUTE EXTENSION TO SINGAPORE NEW YORK, Nov. 15 Pan American Airways has announced that it has applied to the Civil Aeronautics Board for authority to extend its North Pacific service from Manila to Singapore. Pan American Airways is ready to begin as soon as the extension is approved. Its Clippers would land in the British seaplane base at the civil airport.

CRETE INSPECTED } NEW BASE FOR BRITAIN i CAIRO, Nov. ir. General Sir Archibald Wavell, Commander of the British Forces in the Middle East, has returned from a tour of inspection of Crete. He expressed satisfaction at the progress of the intensive work to make Crete a new British stronghold in the Eastern Mediterranean.