AIRCRAFT DESTROYED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23839, 14 December 1940, Page 12

AIRCRAFT DESTROYED

CLAIM BY JAPANESE HOSTILITY ALLEGED BRITAIN AND AMERICA (Received December 13, 7.30 p.m.) SHANGHAI, Dec. 33 Japanese bombers destroyed 44 grounded Chinese aeroplanes including 22 Soviet-built fighters in a raid on Shianyung, 150 miles west of Kunming, Bays the Dojnei agency. An editorial in the Japanese newspaper Asahi, commenting on British and American pressure on Japan, says the new British loan of £10,000,000 to Chungking synchronises with the extension of American restrictions on iron and steel exports. It is obvious that the two actions are taken in concert as part of collective pressure against Japan, the paper states. Such a flagrant manifestation of hostility toward Japan by Britain and America will stiffen Chungking's resistance, thus prolonging the Sino-Japanese conflict and intensifying rivalry between Nanking and Chungting. . The newspaper also says the Government is planning to invoke the national mobilisation law to restrict or prohibit press publication of diplomatic, economic and other important matters for increased protection of State secrets. Simultaneously other articles would be invoked, including regulation of the supply of daily necessaries to intensify the war effort. A Chungking message says that Mr. T. V. Soong, former Chinese Minister of Finance, who is at present in the United States, is expected to visit London shortly to conduct negotiations for new credits to China. INDO-CHINA FIGHTING MORE "REPRISAL" RAIDS GOVERNOR'S HOUSE HIT (Received December 13, 7.30 p.m.) HANOI, Dec. 13 Tlie French ir< a "reprisal air raid" dropped 24 bombs on Muk in Thailand, west of Savannakhet. An airfield was bombed and two incendiary bombs hit the porch of the Governor's house. Thai aeroplanes on Wednesday bombed Saravane and Savannakhet. The" Thai High Command said Thailand frontier forces fired big guns, rifles and machine-guns across the Mekong Hiver at Thakek, while the Thailand Air Force bombed aerodromes at Thakek, Vientiane and Savannakhet in retaliation for a recent French raid. The Thai spokesman said the raid was "successful and satisfactory." One j Thailand aeroplane was lost. He said 11 people 'were killed on Wednesday morning when the French shelled Mukdahan from Savannakhet. WARSHIPS DAMAGED PHOTOGRAPHS OF KIEL POWER STATION STRUCK TORPEDO AND GUN STORE LONDON". Dec. 13 . Photographs taken by British recon- ; fcaissance aircraft of the Kiel naval base after recent raids show the damage that has been caused to German warships. > Mr. Olivej- Stewart, the British 1 Broadcasting Corporation's air observer, i said that in Kiel Harbour were many | < .important German warships including ; the Seharnhorst, which was in dock I undergoing repairs, the 10.000-ton i battle-cruiser I.utzow, two cruisers, an aircraft farrier, and numerous destroyers and submarines. ( Some oi these ships were shown to be damaged • and direct hits wore observed on the power station and the torpedo and gun store.