Evening star., 1941-12-02
Batt|eship Leads
British F|oti||a
Into Singapore
Prince of Wales and
Other Ships Arrive
Ready for Action
BY the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
Britain's new 35.000-ton battleship
Prince of Wales steamed into the
great Singapore naval base today
at the head of flotilla of powerful
naval reinforcements as japanese
dispatches asserted that British i'm
perial troops were maSsing along the
Thailand frontier for an invasion.
The Prince of Wales and other
unspeciied heavy units are the
first capital ships Britain ever has
sent to the Far East ready for
action Others have made only
ceremonial visits.
While the United States stood firm
in refusing to accede to Japan's de-
mands for a new order" in Asia as
the price Of peace in the Pacific. the
japanese cabinet devoted a long
session to study of the Washington
negotiations.
Sources close to the japanese gov
ernment said any crisis in the Wash
ington talks would probably be de-
layed three days or more, since the
japanese were understood to be
seeking "clariflcation" of various
points in Secretary of State Cordell
Hulls statement on the American
position.
Gathering of "A. b. c. d." Forces.
Toxic newspapers splashed dis
patches describing the gathering of
"A. B. c. D." forces in the South
Pacinc-the forces OF America
Britain, China and Dutch East
Indies-and a Domei report from
Manila said a declaration OF a state
of emergency in the Philippines was
imminent.
The British Admiralty was re-
ported by informed Shanghai
sources to have ordered all British
China coast shipping to proceed i'm
mediately TO the British port OF
Hong Kong.
The order. it was said, affects all
vessels of four British companies
which for decades have carried on
the bulk Of the shipping trade be-
tween such Chinese ports as Tent
sin, Tsingtao. Shanghai, Chefoo and
Annoy.
simultaneously, Reuters British
news agency dispatch from Rangoon
said one of the largest columns OF
military vehicles ever seen in Burma
left the capital for duty with British
troops at defense centers through
out the country.
Charge British Plan Invasion.
British fears of a Japanese thrust
into Burma or Thailand have been
repeatedly emphasized in recent
weeks, but Domei. the japanese
news agency. declared bluntly:
Indications are that Britain her
self is now seeking to invade
Thailand."
Thailand herself rushed large
scale preparations for defense in
event of an attack, posting armed
guards in Bangkok and the capitals S
suburbs and constructing concrete
afraid shelters at many street
functions.
The official Bangkok radio sought
to calm fears that the little country
might become a battle-ground for
British and Japanese armies, de-
claring that the government had in
vestigated foreign reports of an i'm
pending attack and found no coun-
try has any designs on Thailand."
Nevertheless. tension was electric
throughout the Orient.
Thousands Enter Camp.
In Singapore. thousands of Brit
ish. Malayan. Chinese and Eurasian
volunteers went into camp on full
time soldering basis as the British
crown colony prepared for any even
tuality. Only skeleton STATS were
left to man business establishments
and government of11ces throughout
Malaga.
Long lines of Army trucks passed
through Rangoon all yesterday and
last night, carrying newly ARRIVED
Indian troops to outposts along the
colony's eastern frontier, facing
Thailand.
On Thailand's other side, great
numbers of Japanese troops were re.
ported massed in French Indo-
China.
Both sides appeared to be waiting
for the other to strike first