The Wilmington morning star., 1940-04-11
GERMANS CLAIM
THREE BRITISH
DESTROYERS SUNK
CONTINUED from Page One)

JlanSanQ, respectively, Willie
covering troop landings yes
terday.
(The British, describing
the battle between six Ger
man destroyers and five
destroyers off Mar
vik, admitted the loss Of two
ships and damage to two
others; claimed to have sunk
one German destroyer and
to have left three in flames.
n unconfirmed London re-
said the British units
later returned to Narvik and
landing marines
British sources de-
scribed the sinking of a Ger
man destroyer and two
troopships in the Skagerrak,
by British men @ war which
forced that German-mlned
passage between the North
Sea and the Baltic.)
Warplanes Ready
With this o%ut-and-out sea war
fare on her hands, Germany sent
warplanes out to the northern
North sea to engage the British
navy at several points, to scout
the whole area and to blockade the
Norwegian and Danish west coasts
from the air. North and central
France, too, was secuted by Ger
man planes from the western front
Within Denmark and Norway
here was the German picture to-
day:
Denmark: "Order reigns SUI
preme."
Norway: German forces occupied
Hamar, Norwegian lake town north
of Oslo to which the Nygaarsvold
government of Norway first fled
while the German minister, Breuer,
tried to cut the Gordian knot OF
conflicting claims of authority in
Norway by visiting King Haakon
himself and asking him who he
considers premier, Johan Nygaar'
svold or Nidkum Quisling, the
Norwegian Nazi who yesterday
proclaimed a regime led by him
self.
This meeting took place at FL
verum IS miles north of Oslo near
the Swedish border, where a battle
between Norwegian and German
soldiers was reported fought this
morning. The results of the confer
ence we're not Immediately known,
but German spokesman were conf
dent that a mutually satisfactory
agreement with Norway would be
reached within a few hours.
1t was suggested this agreement
might be reached with the Nygaar-
svold government, which now is at
Elverum, and that Quisling's re-
gime, despite it's Nazi flavor, was
not necessarily due for German
recognition.
Dramatic Incident
The high command disclosed to-
day what perhaps was the most
dramatic incident Of the occupation
the furious defense by Norwegian
shore batteries which sank two
German cruisers.
Describing the destruction of the
Bluecher, the high command sale
it was showered by shells from
Oslofjord coastal guns until it was
badly damaged, but it drove ahead
on it's mission of protecting trans
ports until it ran into Norwegian
mines, where it sank in a thunder
of explosions.
Similarly, the much older Karls-
ruhe was shelled at Kristiansand
until it went down, but not, how
ever, until it had afforded maxi
mum protection to landing parties
Most members of both crews wer,
reported saved.
Recapitulating Yesterdays events,
official statements also disclosed
that some Danish units, which had
not received non-resistance orders
from Danish commands, fought un'
til they were overpowered. Previ
ously the occupation of Denmark
was reported effected without re
sistance.
In Berlin, German authorities in
sisted they did not intend to inter
fere with the internal affairs O
either Denmark Or Norway-excep
where military questions or Ger
many's security is involved.
Authorized sources, obviously
with al eye toward reassurine
American public opinion, categori
cally renowned any interest in Ice
land, which has Christian of Den
mark for king, or in Greenland.
Far more evasive, however, were
statements about whether NORTH
schleswig was included in What
Denmark will get back after the
war, under the German pledge to
respect her territorial integrity.
non-suit as to Hoyle, but reserved
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