LATE NEWS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24431, 17 October 1940, Page 8

LATE NEWS

RUMANIA AND HUNGARY THE CRISIS OVERCOME BASLE, Oct. 16. (Received Oct. 17, at 1.30 a.m.) The Berlin correspondent of the Easier Nachrichten says it is officiallyannounced that the Rumanian-Hun-garian crisis has beep overcome, the Axis bridging the difficulties. The presence of German troops in Rumania, it is claimed, has contributed greatly to the settlement of the dispute. The Rumanian press war against Hungary has ceased. The German News Agency says the disappearance of the atrocity reports from the Hungarian and Rumanian press is interpreted as an indication that the trouble has subsided, but newspapermen in both countries know that the censors have received German-inspired instructions to eliminate such reports. ENEMY DOCKS AND SHIPPING BATTERED FOR HOURS LONDON, Oct. 16. (Received Oct. IV, at 2 a.m.) The R.A.F. last night bombed a naval dockyard in Northern Germany. communications, aluminium and oil targets in western and central Germany, together with invasion ports, particularly -Le Havre. Units of one Czech squadron continually battered docks and shipping for nearly four hours. HEAVY ATTACK ON LONDON ONE THOUSAND PLANES LONDON. Oct. 16. (Received Oct. 17, at 0.30 a.m.) An Air Ministry communique says: “ The enemy dropped a large number of bombs on London and its suburbs last night. The attack on the capital was of a heavy nature, but the damage was not as great as from the raids early In September. Bombs were dropped indiscriminately on many parts of the capital, but the damage was confined mainly to houses, industrial premises, and utility services. Officials in Berlin claimed that the London night attack was the heaviest yet, over 1000 planes participating and dropping over 1000 bombs.

NAVAL BATTLE THE OFFICIAL ACCOUNT (By Wireless) LONDON, Oct. 16. A report • from the naval headquarters in the Mediterranean states that when the Ajax made contact with the enemy vessels she was acting as a unit of the cruiser screen covering* the activities of the British fleet. As soon as she encountered the three light Italian destroyers she opened fire with her six-inch guns and scored hits on the sides and funnels of two of them, which sank after their magazines had blown up. Two large destroyers were later engaged, but these fled, although one had been set on fire. Some time afterwards the Ajax saw an enemy force consisting of a heavy cruiser and four destroyers, but was unable to make contact with them, and they disappeared into the darkness. The cruiser York, which had been sent to support the Ajax, subsequently made contact with her and reconnaissance planes were sent out in search of the crippled destroyer. She was discovered still on fire and being towed by another Italian destroyer, which made off when the planes launched a torpedo at her. The British cruisers arrived on the scene, whereupon some of the crew of the crippled destroyer jumped overboard, while others waved white sheets and the commander hoisted the white flag in token of surrender. Sufficient time was given to enable all the survivors to leave the ship, which was then sunk by a torpedo from the York. Later Italian planes, flying very high, tried to bomb the British cruisers, but without success.

THE FAR EAST STEPS TO PROTECT AMERICANS WASHINGTON, Oct. 16. (Received Oct. 17. at 2 a.m.) To keep Americans from danger in the Par East, the State Department announced that passports are not being issued unless the applicant can supply a satisfactory reason for going to the Far East. Such restrictions hitherto applied only to Europe.