TRADED DESTROYERS

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21210, 5 September 1940, Page 8

TRADED DESTROYERS

SCENE OF TRANSFER STRICT SECRECY MAINTAINED (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received Sept. 5, 3.15 p.m. OTTAWA, Sept. 4 Unnamed Canadian ports will be the scene of the transfer of the American destroyers in the near future. The utmost secrecy is being observed. The Navy Minister, the Hon. MacDonald, said that Canadians may man some of the destroyers but the majority would have British skeleton crews. Refusing to divulge the movements of the traded destroyers, the secretary for the Navy' in Washington said that Hitler can find out for himself when they leave and where they leave from.. “BEATEN THE GUN” ITALIANS IN SYRIA RESENTMENT OF TROOPS / LEAFLETS FROM BRITAIN (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) LONDON, Sept. 4 According to the Cairo correspondent of the Daily Mail the Italian commission is already at Beirut and is secretly supervising the disarmament of Syria. This indicates that Mussolini may have ‘‘beaten the gun,” as the German commission is understood to be waiting in Turkey for the arrival of the Vichy delegation. The news of the Italians’ arrival is adding to the resentment of the demobilised troops. The British are flooding Syria with leaflets telling the inhabitants what is happening. The Italians are first cataloguing the French aeroplanes in Syria, which Mussolini is apparently appropriating for flying to Rhodes, in the Dodecanese. The French leaders in Beirut are believed to be opposing the Italians, and when the Germans arrive an interesting triangular situation is likely to develop.