WARSHIPS SEEN OFF PETSAMO

Southland Times, Issue 24057, 22 February 1940, Page 7

WARSHIPS SEEN OFF PETSAMO

REPORTS PUBLISHED IN ROME POSSIBLE ACTION IN NORTH U-BOATS ATTACKED BY ALLIES (United Press Assn—Telegraph Copyright) (Received February 21, 10.30 p.m.) LONDON, February 20. The Rome correspondent of The Times says that the Italian Press and radio give prominence to the reported presence of a British cruiser and other warships off Petsamo. It is conjectured that Britain is preparing action against German blockade-runners using the far northern passage. Naval circles in Paris announced that British and French naval vessels attacked several U-boats on February 19. It is impossible to say what resulted. The Admiralty announced the capture of the German trawler Herrlich Keit which was taken to a British port. Enemy aeroplanes twice attacked shipping 30 miles from the north-east coast this afternoon. A Norfolk lifeboat put out. Other attacks occurred off Lincolnshire and Suffolk. GERMAN VERSION An official German statement says that in today’s raids, German planes sank two British mine-layers and an armed merchantman. A message from Manzanillo (Mexico) says the Soviet freighter Kim is loading 20,000 tons of copper and lead, understood to be consigned to Germany. Asked in the House of Commons whether he was aware that about 16 Italian ships during the last three weeks have been loading German coal in Rotterdam for shipment to Italy, the Minister of Economic Warfare (Mr Ronald Cross) said he was aware of the fact but naturally these vessels, although liable to search for enemy exports, had not yet been so searched

since they had not yet left port. Mr Cross explained the Government’s intention with regard to reprisals. The. order was to introduce as little inconvenience as possible to neutrals and that, in this particular case, time which was now drawing to a close had been allowed in which negotiations might take place to enable the Italians to obtain coal supplies from alternative sources.

After five days adrift in a crippled motor-boat, 11 members of the crew of a Norwegian steamer believed to be the Teenstad were landed in Eire. A U-boat followed the Teenstad all night on February 14 then ordered the crew to the boats and sank the ship.