DARLAN’S BOMBAST

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 June 1941, Page 5

DARLAN’S BOMBAST

WILD CHARGES AGAINST BRITAIN BOMBING OF TUNISIAN PORT DENOUNCED. FRANCE AND THE NEW ORDER. ißy Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) VICHY, June 1. Admiral Darlan, in a statement to the Press of occupied France, bitterly attacked Britain. "After the R.A.F. bombing of Sfax. I am more than ever determined to secure respect for France’s rights to dispose freely of her ports and lines of communication. France is still strong enough not to put up with any violation of territory or insult to her flag." Summing up what he described as British acts of piracy against France, he said: "Ninety French ships totalling 370,000 tons have been seized since last July; 10 ships, totalling 36,000 tons, have been appropriated in French colonial territories; 33 ships, totalling 158,000 tons, have been captured at sea since last June; 13 ships, totalling 142,000 tons, have been impounded by the United States of America under British orders; 21 ships, totalling 86,000 tons, have been lost since last July as a result of bombing, torpedoing or scuttling in. the face of British threats. This represents a total value of 120,000,000 francs. "The British have also seized the French possession of New Caledonia,” Admiral Darlan added. “Britain accused France of sending Germany and Italy supplies and transporting arms, but Britain aimed only to destroy French sea power and separate France from her colonial empire. "I shall see that France takes a position of a great Power in Europe and the world. This means she must take her share in the construction of the new order,” he said.