READY FOR ORDERS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 April 1940, Page 6

READY FOR ORDERS

BRITISH NAVAL PATROLS OFF NORWAY MINISTER'S BITTER TONE. ALLIED NOTES DENOUNCED AS "INDECENT." P.y Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright. (Received This Dav. 1.0 p.m.) LONDON. April 8. British warships patrolling areas off the Norwegian coast and Norway's coastal defence vessels are ready for orders. A German “armada" was reported to be moving in the direction of the Skagerrak, while Professor Koht (Foreign Minister) addressing the Norwegian Parliament, denounced the Allied Note as “indecent.” These are the most prominent features of the momentous situation arising from the Allied laying of minefields in Norwegian waters. Professor Koht. referring to the “severe violation of our neutrality,” said lie had replied to the British and French Ministers at Oslo that their Notes of April 5 were an extraordinary violation and that it was indecent to address Norway in the tone in which the Notes were couched. Norway would not surrender her trade pacts with Germany.

TRAP CLOSED FIFTEEN GERMAN SHIPS HELD UP. ENEMY FLEET ACTIVITIES. (Received This Dav, 1.10 p.m.) LONDON, April 8. The German wireless describes the Norwegian protest against the Allied mine-laying as slipshod. The broadcast added that the Allied action had caused a panic among Norwegians, who feared that their nation would soon be involved in war. The Narvik correspondent of the British United Press says two Norwegian submarines departed from Narvik in the direction of Vest Fjord. Two coastal warships remained at their berths, but smoke is poifi’ing from their funnels. The Allied blockade has trapped at least eight German ships along the Norwegian coast. Seven others are held up al Narvik, where there are also six English, lour Norwegian and three Spanish vessels. Captains report that British warships arc patrolling off the southern tip of Lofoten Island. All ships are ordered to halt and take on British pilots to guide- them through the minefield. The Swedish radio stated that a British destroyer and torpedo-boat are patrolling the coast of! Vest Fjord. Tlie newspaper “Allehanda” publishes reports from Copenhagen that the German fleet intended mainly to lay mines in the Skagerrak from Ute Norwegian coast, to Skagen. thus cutting off important Swedish ports from the Atlantic. Swedish circles variously estimate that from forty to fifty German warships have already steamed into the Kattegat.