Evening star., 1939-11-26
WorpIones Heard
Over ShetIunds
And Orkneys
BY the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
LONDON. Nov. 25.-German air
raiders twice attacked British war
ships in the North Sea and tented
at important naval points in the
Orkney and Shetland Islands today
in a dramatic climax to the wars
worst week for shipping.
The British admiralty announce
ment, issued after the Germans
published their claim that Nazl
bombers scored direct hits on four
ships in the North Sea attacks, said
that although many bombs were
dropped, no hits were made and there
were no casualties" The British
gave no details of the action.
Residents of the Orkneys, site of
Britains great Scapa Flow naval
base, where a large concentration"
of planes was heard during the day.
expressed belief the Nazi airmen
were on a laying expedition.
Charges have been made in Brit
ain that some of the mines, which
have virtually disrupted all ship
ping on England's east coast, were
dropped from German planes.
Sussex Latest Victim.
The latest mine victim was the
British steamship Sussex, 11,063
tons, which was badly damaged in
the English Channel and was
brought to Thames mooring today
by tugs.
The sinking of small, unnamed
steamer off the Kent coast Thurs
day also was announced.
Earlier today anti-aircraft guns
were reported to have Warded off
a lone Nazi bomber in the ninth
raid on the Shetland Islands in
two weeks. Warnings also were
sounded in the vicinity of the Clyde
shipbuilding area.
Blockade Plans Complete.
Undeterred by objections from six
neutral countries and the intense
mine warfare. Britain tonight COM
pleted plans to clamp down next
Tuesday a blockade of German ex-
ports in all shipping.
While trade experts sought to
tighten the blockade and still meet
the protests of Holland, Belgium,
Denmark, Sweden, Italy and ia
pan-all supply sources as we'll as
good customers for Britain-naval
scientists tried to perfect a defense
against new airplane-laid magnetic
mines, which with submarines have
sunk 71,240 tons of neutral and
allied shipping in a single week.
The heaviest previous weeks loss
was $1,000 tons the first week of
the war In the World War the
peak was reached one week in April,
1917, when 866610 tons of shipping
we're sent to the bottom within a
month.
To help combat the mines the
Royal Navy appealed to deep-sea
fishermen between the ages of 18
and As to volunteer for the hazard
Gus task of sweeping them from the
seas.
British authorities said the mines
were war phase" which would
be solved like the U-boat attack
was solved"
The air ministry said British fly
ers made successful flights over
Northwest Germany last night.
Cargoes to Be Expedited.
Britain hinted she would seek to
soothe neutral protests by expediting
ships carrying on-German cargoes
through the contraband control.
A spokesman said neutrals would
be shown every possible considera-
tion" and added 'the last thing
Britain wants to do is aggravate
more than absolutely necessary
grave hardships which already have
been inflicted on neutral shipping
by German outrageS"
Supply Minister Leslie Burgin de-
clared, I'VE can confidently count
upon supplies from every part of
the world, including the Far East,
Russia and Turkey"
Japan added her protests to those
of other neutrals today, when For
eign Minister Lord Halifax inter-
viewed the japanese Ambassador
He also saw the italian Ambassador
Sweden and Denmark joined the
list of protesting nations today
In Toxic the japanese foreign Of
flee asserted "it is possible the meas
ure may cut off importation to ia
pan of important articles from Ger
many, to which the Japanese gov
ernment could never acquiesce.
Japan would be compelled to
appropriate counter measures"
London, underwriters announced
increases in the marine insurance
rates as result of the heavy toll
levied by mines and submarines.