MINES OFF COAST

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26841, 4 August 1948, Page 5

MINES OFF COAST

CANADIAN FISHERMEN'S REPORTS CLAIMED TO BE RUSSIAN Rec. 10 p.m. VANCOUVER, Aug: 3. Stray Russian mines are menacing shipping off the British Columbia coast. The Pacific current running in an easterly direction and coastal tides are said to be responsible for carrying the mines to this side of the ocean The story was based on reports from fishermen arriving from the west coast of Vancouver Island.

The mines are exploded by a delicate detonating apparatus. The fisher-„ man contend that the mines do not conform with the known type of Japanese mine and are “ definitely a Russian weapon.” The detonators are said to be secret and dangerous to handle. Marine underwriters said an average of 2.3 mines daily have been reported in Pacific coastal waters during the last three months. In United States and British Columbian waters 137 mines have been sighted since April 20. s • The Vancouver News Herald says that Russia is the only country in the world to keep its harbours mined. The Japanese current starting in Russian waters sweeps south , through Japanese waters across the South Pacific, up the west coast of the United States and along the British Columbia coastline. Navy Discounts Report Officials of the United States Navy and Coastguard stations in Seattle discounted the story of Russian mines. They said there have been many such reports during the past year, but all were proved false. They added that all of 60 mines detonated on northwest beaches since February had proved to be Japanese. At Vancouver. Rear Admiral Rollo Mainguy, of the Canadian Navy, said all the mines destroyed by the Canadian Navy were Japanese.