The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-07-10
ers and submarines.

Accounts of the ensuing battle in
the Ionian sea off Crete were con-
flicting. The Italians admitted loss
of the 1,073-ton destroyer zeftlro
and an unspecif1ed submarine, and
said one warship was hit with loss
of 20 killed and SO wounded. Brit
ish accounts said the warship was
a battleship struck by long-range
British shell.
The Italians said a British cruiser
was sunk, battleship hit and pos
sibly sunk and a British destroyer
sunk by a submarine.
Each side claimed that the other
had escaped under smoke screens set
by destroyers. Both claimed that
fleet aircraft had followed the re-
firing fleets, bombing them heavily
The British fleet, according tc
Italian accounts, included one bat.
tleship, four cruisers, an a1rcraf,
carrier and light units.
Sighted on Monday
The Italians said the British fleet
was first sighted Monday when Il
was attacked by Italian submarines
and aircraft. Despite the attack the
British continued to steam in the
direction of the Italian coast with
apparent intention Of attacking
Italian coastal cities.
An Italian fleet set out to meet
the British, encountering them al
about 2:30 p. m. The conflict accord.
ing to Italian reports continued
IL hours until darkness forced ces.
sation Of hostilities. The British re.
treated to the southeast with 1tal'
ian aircraft in pursuit, rome said.
The British said the battle lastet
only a few minutes and that the
Italians fled after one Of their bat.
tleships was hit at long range by 9
British shell. British aircraft pur'
sued the fleeing Italians, Londor
said.
The second British fleet, appar.
emily composed of the heavy unit!
which smashed the French battle.
ships lying at Oran, moved wes
from Gibraltar yesterday conduct
ing what the British admiralty de-
scribed as a "sweep"-a naval tern
for a search for enemy warships.
No Italian warships were sightet
by this fleet, the British said, bu
Italian aircraft were encountered
Four of these planes were shot down
and seven damaged, the British said
Italians Make Claims
The Italians claimed their air
craft inflicted heavy damage on thu
Gibraltar fleet but admitted loss o.
three planes in the attack.
The action indicated clearly tina
the British had entered the secont
phase of their operations to cleal
the Mediterranean as forecast BY
Prime Minister Winston Churchill
First phase was the drastic action b!
which French capital ships at Oran
Dakar and Alexandria were re
moved as possible enemy threats.
Meantime, a dispatch from Ii
Linea reported that the British wer'
taking extensive defense precau
lions at Gibraltar to secure theiI
western Mediterranean fortress
against attack.
At the eastern end Of the Mediter
ranean new reports indicated a cri
sis may be developing over contro
of the Dardanelles. Athens reported
unconfirmed rumors that Russian
ultimatum had been delivered II
Turkey asking for control Of TIN
strategic straits. There was no con
firmation of this from Ankara o.
Moscow but Istanbul reported i
army classes had suddenly beer
called up for duty in the Istanbu
region.
Important discussions went on al
Munich today over the Balkans
German Foreign Minister Joachim
Won Ribbentrop, Italian Foreign
Minister Count Galeazzo Ciano
Hungarian Premier Paul Teleki anc
Hungarian Foreign Minister Count
Stephen Czaky were in session.
It was announced that the con-
ferees would be received later BY
Adolf Hitler
The Munich conference deal
with Hungary's demands on Ru-
mania and 1t was thought possible
a general Balkan territorial re-
adjustment might tie under consid.
Grafton.
At Vichy the French parliament
met in joint session to seal the
death warrant of the third republic
and clear away lega, formalities
prior 10 setting up totalitarian
regime modelled after those OF italy
and Spain.
But warnings appeared In the
German press that France could moi
escape the consequences OF her wal
against Germany by last minute re-
eanting Of democracy and CONVEX
sion 10 totaiitarlanism.
German air raids on Britain con-
tinued with increased yigor despite
reports from London of indications
that the expected blltzRfieg may b.
delayed while another Man peace
offensive Is attempted.
There were numerous Plinors o.
developments IN the Balkans, an,
ono OF which might have insplfef
Germany and Italy 70 call on Hun
gary. their Oldest friend IN tina
region, for q conference,
AZ Athens, Greece, II was Reported