TWO NAZI SHIPS CAPTURED

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

TWO NAZI SHIPS CAPTURED

VESSELS DASH FOR GERMANY REPORT OF SINKING OF FRENCH LINER BRITISH SAILORS’ ORDEAL IN OPEN BOAT (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright) (Received February 19, 11.30 p.m.) LONDON, February 19. British warships captured the German steamer Morea (3000 tons) en route from Spain to Germany with a cargo of manganese ore and brought her to a West of England port. Thirty members of the crew have been interned. The Allies have captured two of the six German ships which tried to dash to Germany from Vigo (Spain). The other one captured and taken to port was the Rostock (2500 tons). The latter was captured by a French warship.

The German official news agency claims the sinking of the French liner Emile Miguet (15,436 tons). No details are given. Ten members of the crew of the Swedish ship Liana were drowned and 10 rescued; there were seven survivors from the Osmed and 14 were drowned. Both ships were sunk in the North Sea.

Captain Smiles, with his 10,000-ton tanker almost bisected by a torpedo and half submerged, sailed her four days in the North Sea until a warship landed him and 41 survivors out of a crew of 44 at a Scottish port. Fifteen survivors from the British ship Langleeford (4246 tons) were landed on the west coast of Eire after’ 56 hours in an open boat. Their vessel was proceeding home from Boston

when she wag sunk by enemy action on February 14. One boat containing the captain and members of the crew is missing. Three are dead through the explosion or exposure. The British tanker Cresfield (838 tons) is a fortnight overdue and is presumed to have been lost. The British ship, Baron Ailsa, (3656 tons) was mined in the North Sea and sank in three minutes. The Navy picked up 32 survivors.

NEUTRAL LOSSES The Norwegian steamer Kvernaas was sunk in the North Sea by a mine or torpedo. The crew of 20 was landed in Holland. The Dutch steamer Ameland was mined in the North Sea. The crew was saved. A message from Durban says the cargo steamers Greystone Castle, of 5853 tons, and the Cheldale, of 4218 tons, collided in darkness. The Cheldale sank in three minutes and two officers and 13 of the crew are missing. The third officer, the wireless operator and 13 of the crew were landed. A Berlin mesage says the German News Agency claims to have sunk 32 British, French and neutral ships, of an estimated tonnage of 128,174, for the week ended February 17. Danish seamen met in Copenhagen and suggested stopping all sailing in the North Sea until England provides control ports outside England and Germany ceases torpedoing without warning. FRENCH NAVY HAS NOT LOST ONE SHIP LONDON, February 18. The fact that since the beginning of the war the French Navy has suffered not a single loss of a ship from enemy action is recognized in London naval circles as a remarkable achievement in view of the considerable size of the French Navy and the übiquity of its units. The French Navy consists of: Five capital ships, of which the Dunkerque and the Strasbourg are the most modern and fastest capital ships in the world. Seven 10,000-ton cruisers armed with eight-inch guns. Twelve cruisers of between 6000 and 8000 tons, with six-inch guns. Thirty-two smaller vessels, which are regarded by naval experts here as small cruisers. Thirty-eight destroyers. Thirty-seven escort vessels. Twenty-seven submarines. One aircraft and one seaplane-car-rier, and an important fleet of auxiliary vessels.