PEACE & SECURITY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 April 1941, Page 5

PEACE & SECURITY

ESTABLISHED IN RED SEA AREAS IMPRESSIONS OF BRITISH TRAVELLER. BUSINESS EXPANDING FREELY. (British Official Wireless.) . RUGBY, April 21. A British traveller who recently returned to Aden after a 1000 miles tour of the southern Red Sea area by air and land, has recorded his impressions of the peace which now reigns over lands with a long history of conflict, and which fully justifies President Roosevelt’s declaration opening the Red Sea to American shipping. Particularly interesting are his remarks on conditions in MaSsawa, now occupied, by Imperial forces. In the harbour lie the scuttled German and Italian ships, some of which may be refloated, but elsewhere it is difficult to find any trace of the recent fighting. The Royal Air Force bombing had been limited to military targets such as aerodromes.

People were going about their business freely, and the Italian police still functioned under the military administration set up by the Imperial forces, which was organising the smooth running of the town’s life. The road to Asmara, which was also intact except for the aerodrome, was open to motor traffic for the whole 75 miles, repairs having been effected at three points where it had been destroyed.