STRONG BRITISH NOTE TO NORWAY

Southland Times, Issue 24055, 20 February 1940, Page 5

STRONG BRITISH NOTE TO NORWAY

PERFUNCTORY SEARCH OF NAZI SHIP ALLEGED FULL PARTICULARS OF INCIDENT DEMANDED

(United Press Association—Telegraph Copyright) (Received February 19,10.30 p.m.) LONDON, February 19. Britain has sent a Note to Norway demanding full particulars of the Altmarck incident, declaring that the Norwegian examination of the ship was perfunctory and that Norway failed in her duty. The Foreign Secretary (Viscount Halifax) put the British complaint against the Norwegian neglect of duties to the Norwegian Minister in London (M. Erik Colban).

After pointing out that Norway must have been fully informed of the Altmarck’s predatory career as an auxiliary of the Admiral Graf Spee, Viscount Halifax asked: (1) Did the Norwegians most carefully search the Altmarck when she entered Bergen? (2) How was the search carried out? (3) What did the search reveal? (4) What would the Norwegians have done if they had'found the prisoners? (5) If the Norwegians believed prisoners to be aboard why did they not detain the Altmarck and remove the sick prisoners? (6) Why were the prisoners not released or held pending an examination of their legal position? (7) Why did Norwegian warships accompany the Altmarck?

Viscount Halifax declared that Norway had failed in her duty as a neutral. The question of the Navy’s infringement of territorial waters was less important than the fact that 400 Britons were kept for many weeks in conditions not fit for a dbg.

The German violation of Norwegian waters and the treatment of the prisoners contrary to international law justified the British action.

M. Colban presented the Norwegian protest against the violation of territorial waters and requested the return of the prisoners and reserved Norwegian rights. The next move seems to lie with Norway, first to reply to the British complaint and second to decide the status of the Altmarck, which is aground, namely whether she is a free merchantman or whether she can be interned as a warship. The status of the Altmarck is further complicated by the news that she was flying the German service flag when she entered Bergen, for which reason she was exempt from the usual Customs examination.