Evening star., 1941-02-17
Malay Waters Mined
To Guard Singapore,
Britain Warns
Move Linked With Advice
To Leuve Thuilund
And Occupied Chino
Hy the Associated Press.

Hy the Associated Press.
LONDON. Feb. 17.-In a step re-
f1ecting the current uneasinesS in
the Far East, the British Navy gave
notice Yesterday of the mining OF
Malayan waters to block the great
naval fortress of Singapore against
unwelcome ships from the direction
of Thsiland. China, French 1rdo-
China and Japan.
The British press Immediately
linked this action with the advice
Of British authorities urging Britons
to leave Thailand and occupied
China.
The Admiralty, In warning ship
ping of the area to be mined, said
the new field would extend so miles
from the Singapore latitude and 80
miles east of the Malayan coast,
which would mean that mineflelds
laid around Singapore at the start
of the war are being extended.
Faces Postwar Trade Loss.
There was no official explanation
for the action, but it came on top
of a week of anxiety in the Pacific.
The Sunday Times commented
editorially that if Japan took any
aggressive step she would find her
self cut out of postwar foreign
trade, since Japan could not expect
that we could trade on the same
terms tomorrow with a country
which tries to stab us in the back
today"
The paper also recalled the Russo
Japanese War of 1904-5 with the
comment: She (Japan) gained an
immense advantage at the outset
of her historic conflict with Russia
by entering Vladivostok Harbor
without the declaration Of war and
torpedoing at anchor the fleet Of
her unsuSpecting enemy.
She has not forgotten that
stroke. Nor shall we forget it."
Since tension sharply increased
in the Far East last week Britain
has been on the alert against two
possibilities: An actual japanese
campaign to fulfill her southwark
ambitions, or a mere smoke screen
to cover a possible axis thrust in
Europe.
In Toxic tension eased. The press
handled its news in a much milder
fashion following a statement by
the Cabinet Information Bureau
urging Japanese in North and South
America not to be disturbed by
irresponsible and sensational re-
ports" of tension between Japan and
the United States.
One paper, ASahi, said japanese
residents were beginning to with
draw from the Netherlands Indies
because of "the worSening situation,
which has increased uneasiness
among the japanese" but relegated
the dispatch to subordinate place.
Week End Developments.
Other weekend developments in
the Far East included:
l. Reports from foreign military
observers in Shanghai that Japan
had set up the nucleus of a military
air base at Saigon in Southern
Indo-C China, $50 miles north of
Singapore.
2. The arrival at Saigon of Col.
Ryoki Koike, chief of staff of Jap
anese forces in Indo-China, TO take
over the japanese command in the
South.
8. A declaration by the Central
(Chinese) News Agency that Japan
had stationed six divisions (presum-
ably 10000 mem in Canton, Hainan
Island, French Indo-China and the
Spartly Islands and four divisions
in Formosa.
4. A broadcast by the Bangkok
radio that Japan was not seeking
military or naval bases for invasion
of British Malaga.
S. A report that British Ambas-
sador Sir Robert Leslie Craigie had
cautioned Japanese Foreign Min
lister YOSuke Matsouka against any
possessions in the Far East.
6. Recommendations by the press
In British Burma that authorities
give fuller information about de-
fense preparations and the RESPONSE
bilities of the people in the event
of emergency in Burma. We're
all in it together" should the war
spread, the press said.
Powers Too Nervous
ToLio Miniefoy Sove