Evening star., 1942-02-16
6o,ooocapfured
At Singapore,
Japan Claims
All Defense Bases
Are Occupied,
Toxic Reports
BY the Associated Press.

| By the Associated Press.
TOXIC (From Japanese Broad
caSts) Feb. 16.-Japan celebrated
the conquest of Singapore today
as a tremendous achievement
giving her armed forces the key
to India and Australia and vir-
tual control over vital supply
routes to embattled China.
Even an oflcial warning that the
war Is still far from won and that
great struggles lie ahead failed to
dampen rejoicing over the blow to
British prestige and to Allied STRAIT
eey IN the Pacific.
The official announcement of the
fall Of the citadel over which the
British flag had waved for 1913 years
said the surrender had been COM
plete and unconditional.
10000 Troops in Singapore.
Domei, in a dispatch today from
Singapore, said British forces in
Singapore at the time of the sur
render comprised 10000 men.
These troops included campaign
ing force, fortress guards and volun-
teers made up of $4,000 of the Brit
ish metropolitan forces. $4,000 Au-
Stralians and the remainder In
dians," 1t said.
There are a million inhabitants
still in Singapore, including 100000
British"
1t was announced that 900 mem
bers of the British garrison would
serve as an auxiliary police force to
maintain order until Japanese
troops, who entered the city at 8
am, today behind a vanguard of
tanks, could complete their occupa-
ton.
The remainder of the garrison
laid down its arms at 10 o'clock last
night % a m. E w. T. Sunday, and
the japanese said the captives would
be marched of at once to prison
camps
Defense Bases Occupied.
Japanese naval authorities, mean
while, announced that they i'm
mediately occupied all the British
naval and coastal defense bases of
Singapore. after an agreement for
their transfer reached by British
and Japanese officers at Fort Can
ming.
Domei said "a decision was
reached concerning the disposal of
British warshipsT remaining in
Singapore ports"
(The dispatch did not indicate
what that decision was or what
warships remained at Singapore.)
Admiral Shigetaro Shimada, Navy
Minister, told Parliament that Japa-
nese submarines already we're oper-
ating in the Indian Ocean and that
japanese naval operations there
would be extended now that Singa-
pore has fallen.
Emperor Hirohito, who received
the personal reports of. his military
leaders, sent a message of con-
gratulations. to his Malay campaign
commanders.
Both houses OF Parliament,
meeting in special session, voted
resolutions expressing the nations
thanks to the forces which seized
the British stronghold.
Formal Entry Wednesday.
Although the news of Singapore's
fall touched off a spontaneous cele-
bration, the formal festivities are
scheduled for Wednesday when, it
was announced here, japanese
troops will make their triumphal
entry into the captured city.
News of the fall of Singapore
brought out the biggest headlines
yet used in the war by Japanese
newspapers. Word of the victory
was carried again and again on
radio bulletins and announced on
trains and in railroad stations.
The immense strategic Importance
of Singapore and the effect of its
fall on the future course. of the war
in the Pacific was emphasized by
Col. Hideo Ohira, chief of the army
(Snp SINGApORE PAGE A.Iol