SEA RAIDER

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20058, 3 October 1939, Page 6

SEA RAIDER

SOUTH ATLANTIC END OF CLEMENT SOME OF CREW SAFE LANDING IN BRAZIL SCANDINAVIAN LOSSES CRAFT OFF ZEALAND (ElfiP. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Reed. Oct. 3, 1.30 p.m.) LONDON. Oct. 2. It is assumed in London that an armed raider, at present unidentified, sank tlie Booth liner Clement in the South Atlantic. The Admiralty will take steps to deal with the situation.

A Durban message slates that the naval authorities announced that there has been an armed enemy raider operating off the coast of South America.

Tim Bahia correspondent of the United Press of America, states that advice received in Bahia asserts that a German pocket battleship sank ihe Clement

The Rio de Janiero correspondent of tire American Associated Press says that unconfirmed reports from Maceio (Brazil), state that 11 members of the crew of the Clement landed there in a lifeboat, one with a bullet wound. The crew are reported to have said that the captain an dchief engineer were taken aboard the German raider. At least 12 members of the crew were rescued by the Brazilian steamer, Ilatinga, which is due at San Salvador to-morrow. The attack occurred off the Brazilian town of Pedras, a short distance north-cast of Maceio.

The captain of the Swedish liner, Argentina, reports that he saw a German cruiser headed towards Africa when he was near Recife (Pernambuco). Shortly afterwards he saw a British freighter sinking. Then a German submarine passed. Germans Blame Britain

A Berlin message says that the Germans blame the action against neutral shipping on Britain, declaring that when Britain, bans Argentine meat for Germany it is only tit for tat to prevent Danish butter reaching Britain. If the neutrals persuade Britain to revise the contraband list, Germany would willingly follow suit.

A Copenhagen message reports that the Finnish schooner, Baltic, bound for Scandinavia with a cargo of flint, struck a German mine off the Zealand coast and sank. The crew of eight men and two women are believed to have been rescued. The owner of the Dutch vessel Vendia, which was torpedoed last Saturday issued a statement in Copenhagen declaring that the captain responded to the submarine's flag signals. Nevertheless the torpedo was fired. The captain is of the opinion that 11 seamen were killed in the explosion and not drowned. Protest by Denmark

The Danish Minister at Berlin has been instructed to make a protest against the sinking of the Vendia. A survivor revealed that the vessel was sunk only three seconds after the warning shots were fired and before the Vendia could possibly heave to. The submarine, however, went to the assistance of six men who were struggling in the water and took them aboard, but warned them they must not mention the sinking of the vessel.

The German naval authorities assert that the Vendia tried to escape. It then attempted to ram the submarine, for which reason it was claimed that the survivors of the crew should be court-martialled.

A Stockholm message states that Swedish newspapers ask what England will do about the sinking of Scandinavian ships. They say that a Swedish convoy system is impossible, but ask what about a British one? The Swedish steamship Algeria with a cargo of p'igiron and woodpulp destined for Genoa Was taken to Kiel. ,

Stockholm also reports that a German submarine sank in the Skagerrak the Swedish Antwerp-bound steamer Gun. A Danish vessel rescued the crew of 18.