SWIFT RISE TO 50,000

Marlborough Express, Volume LXXVI, Issue 248, 21 October 1942, Page 5

SWIFT RISE TO 50,000

RUMOURS OF ALLIED MOVE POSSIBLE UNITED STATES ACTION.

P.A. Cable.

LONDON, Oct. 20.

Recent reinforcements, including naval units, have increased Dakar's white garrison from 15,000 to 50,000, says the British United Press correspondent at Vichy's stronghold. Soldiers, sailors and airmen jam the streets and women and children are leaving the town as transports become available. Axis propagandists have been busy for several days predicting a second front at Dakar and ccnnect the visit of General Smuts to London with this. The American semi-official Army and Navy Journal says: "What is in the German mind may compel us to co-operate with the British in seizing Dakar, which is even more important since Brazil entered the war. It could serve as a jumping off place for planes operating against our South American Ally." The Journal adds: "Vichy is apprehensive that the United States will seize the French Caribbean territories. They have reason for their fear. Negotiations with the Governor- General of those territories have not been concluded, " and doubtless prolonged delay in meeting our demands will cause us to act." Washington observers point out that unless the Americans intend to remain in Liberia as a protective

policy the only place they could go by land would be across French soil. The London Times's diplomatic correspondent says that talk of an Allied advance on Dakar is ridiculous because communications between jungle-clad Liberia and the remainder of Africa hardly exist. Berlin radio, quoting a wellinformed neutral who has recently arrived in Lisbon after a long visit to Africa, said it is expected in British African colonies that a British-American attack against French West Africa will take placte some time after the end of October, which is the beginning of the dry season, and that a road linking the west coast with Egypt will shortly be cornpleted.