The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-09-02

tAAC AAhVy SAASAVtsAAp AAS0AAS SASs Belisha, minister of war; Sir John Simon, chancellor of the exchequer, the treasury chief; Malcom Mac. Donald, dominions minister, and William Ormsby- Gore, Colonial minister, whose duty 1t is to keep dominions and colonies advised Of developments in critical times, and finally Lord Halifax, lord president of the council, who acts as foreign minister when Eden Is away.
 Joint Naval Action Talked
 It was understood that the min- isters were considering tho French proposal for joint naval action when they received news of the Woodford incident.
 The Woodford was not the ideal British steamship, 1t was apparent, on which to base first class diplo. matic crisis. Formerly the Greek steamship Iolcos, 1t was carrying oil fuel from Piraeus, the port of Ath- ems, to Valencia, war time capl. tal of Loyalist Spain, and 1t had called ct Barcelona on It's way. The owning company was reported to pc Q new one, formed since the civil war started.
 A spokesman for the owners said today that 1t was improbable the second engineer was Q Briton be- cause the ship piled exclusively in the Mediterranean and it was dif- ficult to get British crews.
 But this did not affect the daia- gerous, angry situation precipitated by submarine attacks on ships or all nations, bound for oil ports with oil sorts of cargoes.
 Havock Details Coming
 Details of the attack on the de- stroyer HaVock were transpiring only today. Gibraltar reported that the Havock saw the attacking submarine half on hour before 0 torpedo was fired ct 1t, but could not Identify Il owing to darkness. Immediately after the attack the Havock dropped depth charges.
 1t was believed that the French government would receive Britain's reply to the naval action proposal tomorrow, and that the French cabinet would meet as c formal council of ministers, with President Albert Lebrun presiding, Monday or Tuesday to approve the final de- cision.
 France, 1t was understood, asked Britain's frank views in naval co- operation and suggested, # Britain would not take joint direction, that other Mediterranean powers DO asked to join in 0 general anti-pir- acy campaign.
 It Was said that France directly placed responsibility for attacks on itaiy and said that Italian warships were off the French coast and the French African coast.
 France hold that her cotlmunica" tons are endangered. .
 The French and British foreign offices and the French and BritiSh adrniraities are in the closest cofn- munication - and by coincidence General Maurice 0amelin, chief oi staff of the French armies, arrived here yesterday to attend the Britisi army rnaneuvers. ,
 The Exchange Telegraph oibral. tar correspondent quoted c member of the destroyer Mavock's crew as that after 1t dropped It's deptn charges on an attacking pirate" submarine the seq was covered With oil. Hence, the dispatch said, It was believed the submarine was sunk.
 TWO British cruisers and three deetroyers arrived in the Bosporous today, What was announced to pc la fiye-day visit was believed due to tho "pirate" submarine campaign ct the other end of tho DardanelleS.
 Public Grows Angry
 Public opinion in Great Britain, which has not forgotten the Ethi- opian war, was angrier than ct any recent international development.
 Unofiicialiy, 1t was almost taken for granted that the submarine which attacked the Havock was on IItalian one. ...
 Also there was c suspicion that the Havock sank, with depth charges, the attacking submarine :.
 As soon as the Havock radioed news of the attack, the commander | in chief of the British Mediter. ranean fleet sent . strong force Of destroyers raving to the scene to seek and sink the submarine.
 Last night the admiralty an- nounced iaconically: q
 Tt has proved impossible to ag- certain whether the (t10vockH at- tack was successful. No submarine which could be identified as Ma vocks assailant has since been dis covered.
 Apart from the foregoing 1t il mostly likely that any further tn- formation will be available"
 \, Admiralty Keeps silent