FRENCH SHIPPING

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 119, 22 May 1941, Page 9

FRENCH SHIPPING

ORDER BY VICHY

DESTRUCTION RATHER THAN CAPTURE

GERMAN INFLUENCE

LONDON, May 21

An order sent to all French merchant ships from the Vichy Minister of Marine reveals that their captains have been instructed to destroy their ships and cargoes ■whenever they are liable to capture by the British.

This order, which recently fell into British hands, is signed on behalf of Admiral Darlan. It says that except ■where contrary instructions have been received, captains must by all means avoid letting their ships and cargoes fall into the hands of the British authorities. Captains are informed that failure to obey these instructions •will have serious consequences on permits now' given to French traffic, and •will expose them personally to sanctions.

This reference to permits is clear proof that all French shipping can only sail under the terms of the Armistice Commission, which means that the French merchant navy is now at the beck and call of the Germans.

Referring to the agreement between Vichy and Germany, the Under-Secre-tary for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Butler, stated in a written reply in the House of Commons today that although the full terms of the agreement are not yet known, there is no doubt that a number of industrial concerns in unoccupied France are working largely for the Germans and producing goods of military importance for Germany.