FRENCH WARSHIPS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 January 1941, Page 5

FRENCH WARSHIPS

ALLOWED TO PASS STRAITS OF GIBRALTAR CONSIDERABLE. MOVEMENT TO AFRICA. MAY BE PART OF GENERAL MANOEUVRE. < By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyngat) LONDON. January 7. Destroyers, torpedo-boats, and other small units of the French Xavy have been passing the Straits of Gibraltar during the last month in twos and threes, unmolested by the British, says the Tangier correspondent of tin* "Daily Express.”

This redistribution may bo part of a general manoeuvre intended to remove the navy to Africa, where it would be safe from German attempts and would simultaneously strengthen Marshal's Petain's only defence against the Germans—the North African forces under General Wcygand. The correspondent says the French navy is disposed roughly as follows; — The main Mediterranean units are based on Toulon (France) and the main Atlantic units are based on Casablanca (Morocco) and Dakar (French West Africa). The AfricanMediterranean bases of Algiers and Bizerta are almost empty, but Oran still has the damaged capital ship Dunkerque, which is well on the road to becoming fightworthy.

South of Dakar the French are massing troops and building fortifications against another attempt by General de Gaulle. The prisons in Algiers. Tunis, Meknes. Rabat and Fez are filled with patriotic young Frenchmen who have been caught in the act of attempting to join General de Gaulle.