FIRST BRITISH CAPTURE

Evening Star, Issue 23372, 15 September 1939, Page 9

FIRST BRITISH CAPTURE

SMART WORK BY TERRITORIALS GERMANS ATTEMPT TO SCUTTLE SHIP LONDON, September 14. (Received September 15, at 10.40 a.m.) The ‘ Star ’ describes the first British capture in the war, which was made by a London Territorial battalion stationed at a dock at which lay a loaded German ship. A Territorial officer, listening to the Prime Minister’s speech, heard on a field telephone: “ We are in a state of war with Germany.” Immediately he gave orders to seize the ship. The Territorials fixed bayonets, approached from various hiding places around the docks, lined up the captain and crew, and placed them under guard. Four hours later it was noticed that the ship was sinking. The captain had opened the water cocks. The Territorials made the captain disclose the whereabouts of the cocks, which they turned off. Later, the ship was found to be on fire, ■ but the flames were quickly extinguished. The captain and crew were marched from the ship to the police cells. YUGOSLAVIAN WHEAT DISPUTE WITH GERMANY BUDAPEST, September 14. (Received September 15, at 10 a.m.) It is reliably stated that the Germans stopped a consignment of aeroplanes to Yugoslavia at the frontier as the result of Yugoslavia’s refusal to transport wheat to Germany until Germany returns 400 rail trucks and 100 river barges. Yugoslavia declined the German suggestion to dump the shipment on the border to enable transfer to German freight cars. DUTCH FRONTIER CLOSED REFUGEES REFUSED ADMISSION THE HAGUE, September 14. (Received September 15, at 10 a.m.) The Netherlands frontier is now closed to all refugees, including Jews. The export of automobiles and tractors is forbidden. The K.L.M. Company has ordered its planes to remain at Batavia pending permission to Hy over France. MINISTRY OF MUNITIONS NOT NECESSARY IN MEANTIME (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, September 14. (Received September 15, at II a.m.) The House of Commons will adjourn to-morrow until next Wednesday. The Prime Minister told the douse when ho was questioned about setting up a Ministry of Munitions that the existing arrangements were working very satisfactorily, and the powers granted to the Ministry of Supply had so far been found sufficiently wide. A large expansion in output had already taken place. CINEMAS REOPENING RESTRICTIONS SUBSTANTIALLY MODIFIED LONDON, September 14. (Received September 15, at 1 p.m.) The Home Office announces that cinemas are opening from 10 a;m. till 10 p.m. everywhere except in the West End, where they are open only till 6 p.m. THEIR OWN PETARD SAN JOSE, September 14. (Received September 15, at 1.5 p.m.) That the Nazi mark scheme is workable both ways - is seen in a case at Costa Rica, where high pressure salesmanship made the Germans creditors to the extent of 2,500,000 marks, which Costa Ricans shruggingly promise to pay in coffee when it can be shipped to Germany. BRANDED FOR EVER HITLER'S GRIME UPON HUMANITY LONDON, September 14, (Received September 15, at 1 p.m.) The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Moderator of the Church of Scotland, and the Moderator of the Federal Council of Evangelical Free Churches, in messages from Lambeth Palace, said: “We have not sought this war. It has been thrust upon us by the action of one man. On him alone lies the dreadful responsibility of having inflicted this crime upon humanity.” FOREIGN BROADCASTS NO INTERFERENCE BY BRITAIN (British Official Wireless ) RUGBY, September 14. (Received September 15, at 11.30 a.m.) The British Broadcasting Corporation announces that daily news bulletins in Rumania and Serbo-Croat are being inaugurated to-morrow. The Lord Privy Seal stated in the House of Commons that no steps had been taken in Britain to interfere with the transmission of any foreign broadcast.