FRENCH MERCHANTMEN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24834, 6 February 1942, Page 5

FRENCH MERCHANTMEN

WASHINGTON, (Rec. t p.m.) Feb. 4. The Maritime Commission to-day requisitioned eight French merchantmen; aggregating 43,000 tons, which; ure at present laid up in United States harbours.

BURMA FRONT ENEMY THRUST HELD LARGE FORCES MASSED (Heel 1 p.m.) LONDON. Feb. «. The Rangoon correspondent of the Daily Express says that 100,000 Japanese are. making the drive for Rangoon. No substantial bridgehead has been made; but the Japanese ace thrusting at six points along the Salween River. The. enemy vanguards,, which, crossed the river on Monday, have been wiped out: ..■■ A further Rangoon despatch says thatheavy attacks have been carried out by the R.A.F. against Japanese troop and supply concentrations on the east side of the Moulinein River, north of Mpulmein. In one attempt to cross the river, an enemy column was repulsed with severe losses. SO far the Japanese have endeavoured in vain to establish a bridgehead. • CHINESE SUCCESSES SEVERAL TOWNS CAPTURED ENEMY’S HEAVY CASUALTIES (Rec. 7 p.m.) CHUNGKING, Feb. 4. The Chinese captured three towns near Yochow, in the Hunan province (from which the : Japanese launched their recent disastrous thrust on Changsha), and seized two villages on the Cahton-Kowloon railway; Other successes are claimed at Nanchang, in the Kiangsi province and in Northern and Central Hupeh the Chinese also seized Chengmuktou. which is 30 miles from Hongkong. The Japanese suffered heavy casualties. • THAILAND’S TREACHERY RUGBY, Feb. 4. Confirmation of the Thai declaration of war on Britain and the United States has been received from the Swiss Government, which is looking after British interests in Thailand. A state of war was declared by the Thai Government to exist from noon on January 25. It is not considered in authoritative circles that this Thai action makes, any practical difference to the Far Eastern situation.

The Prime Minister of Thailand, M. Pibul; is regarded here as the chief figure behind Thailand’s treacherous actions. This is the second occasion on which the “first Quisling of the Orient ’’ has sold his country to the Japanese. The first was when he more or less handed himself over to the Japanese by his aid in Indo-China. As a reward for this he received a large slice of Indo-China.