PORTS IN ESTONIA

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20055, 29 September 1939, Page 11

PORTS IN ESTONIA

CLAIMS MAY BE MET TENSION IN TALLINN MINISTER VISITS MOSCOW (F.lpc. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Reed. Sept. 28, 2.50 p.m.) NEW YORK, Sept. 27. Amici rumours that the visit of the German Foreign Minister, Herr von Ribbentrop, to Moscow has a bearing on the situation, the Estonian Foreign Minister, M. Karl Seller, went to Moscow at noon to resume the talks with the Soviet authorities on the basis of the Estonian Government's instructions to. settle the crisis created by the Soviet demands in connection with the projected trade pact, gays the Tallinn correspondent of the New York Times. It is feared that Moscow is determined to get war-time control of the large island of Dagoe and also Baltischport, Estonia’s only ice-free harbour. Informed circles suggest that Estonia 'is prepared to (meet the Soviet claims as far as possible to alleviate suspicion regarding Estonia’s neutrality. The authorities are alleged to have given orders to the forces to fire on bombers from the Soviet aircraft-car-rier lying off the coast, which flew low over Tallinn and elsewhere to-day. This, plus a report from Moscow that an unknown submarine s ank the Soviet steamer Metallist, has aggravated tension here. The Estonian authorities deny repairing and 'refuelling the Polish submarine Orzel, which escaped from Tallinn some days ago. They also state that no submarine base exists in Estonia. A report from Moscow says that the Estonian mission to Moscow arrived at the airport a quarter of an hour after Herr von Ribbentrop. It is understood that the Estonians have brought a new explanation of the Orzel incident which may satisfy Russia.