Fate
of
Singapore
Hangs
in
Balance
r-v
i
I
.j..r
1
for
an
attempt
to
throw
a
Japanese
off
the
embattlcdAsi,
i
i
:i
e
i
J
i
down
10
a
n-u-mut:
iruiu
jiiong,
esiern
swamps
and
beaches.
Under
a
hail
of
British
artillery
fire
sweeping
shallow
waters
of
Johore
Strait,
the
Japanese
force
was,
in
effect,
'surrounded
and
unable
to
receive
reinforcements
at
least
until
nightfall
before
which
Austrajians
hoped
to
cut
the
invaders
to
pieces.
An
initial
force
gained
a
foothold
under
cover
of
withering
artillery
and
aerial
bombardment
throughout
yesterday
and
all
last
night.
Tokyo
broadcasts
claimed
that
Japanese
parachutists
took
part
in
the
battle
and
reported
the
Japanese
Navy
expected
to
join
in
an
al!-out
assault
on
the
island.
After
several
hours
of
bloody
fighting,
Major
General
Henry
Gordon
Bennett,
commander
of
the
Australian
forces,
said:
"We
have
taken
pur
stand
on
a
strong
line
and
are
organizing
an
attack
which,
it
is
hoped,
will
recover
as
much
as
possible
of
the
lost
terrain."
With
the
fate
of
Singapore
in
the
balance,
Japanese
airmen
bombed
Batavia
for
the
first
time
and
stepped
up
air
attacks
elsewhere
in
the
Indies
in
a
development
taken
to
be
a
prelude
to
attempted
landing
on
Java.
Reinforced
by
fresh
Chinese
and
Indian
troops,
British
forces
appeared
tonight
to
have
stabilized
the
Salween
River
front
barring
the
Japanese
drive
toward
Rangoon
and
China's
last
important
gateway
to
the
sea.
lazis
Desperately
'ressed
in
Russia
Desperately-pressed
German
troops
laid
vast
minefields
in
Donets
Basin
today
in
the
attempt
to
halt
onrushing
Soviet
forces,
but
the
Red
Army
surged
on
over
the
snow-drifted
steppes.
The
British
Broadcasting
Corporation
reported
the
recapture
of
Krasnograd,
sixty-five
miles
southwest
of
Kharkov,
and
indicated
another
advance
for
the
Russians
driving
westward
toward
Dnieperopetrovski.
Owing
to
loss
of
guns
and
shortage
of
ammunition,
Ger
man
artillery
has
virtually
the
fighting
now.
Counter-Offensive
Libya
Is
Stemmed
In
Libya
the
British
stemmed
the
Axis
counter-offensive
which
commenced
from
Agedabia
three
weeks
ago.
General
Edwin
Rommcll
is
having
difficulty
with
his
com
munications
due
to
the
noundinc
of
the
British
who
have
unquestioned
aerial
ANGIERS
TROUBLE
UMlritiih
Riotine
at
Snanlsh
Jlorwcco
Seaport
Over
Week-end
iTANQIERS,
Spanish
Morocco.
Eb.
S
-Serious
nnrt
H
ati-Brltish
riots
were
staeed
by
rabs
and
Spaniards,
An
explosion
a
quay,
a
lew
minutes
after
a
Irtish
shlD
left
for
Olhrnltnr
Pled
fourtpon
"red
seventy-one
others.
The
Brl-
sb
Post
Offipp
as
other
.British
buildings
and
pperty.
pollowlng
the
rioting
at
Tan-
Bs
martial
law
has
been
de-
larcd
by
thp
Snnntsh
nnthoHHpe
a
result
of
the
incidentsxat
anglers,
London
accuses
Berlin
vlng
'to
stir
up
Spain
against
fit-ain,
Cover
War
In
Alaska
On
his
wav
to
Jnnpan
where
he
.will
make
his
headi
quarters
as
a
newsnarer
cor-
respondent,
renrespntlnir
f.hi
Chicago
Sun,
in
the
event
of
;
actual
warfare
coming
to
Alaska,
Alan
c.
Faith
was
a
Passenger
aboard
the
Princess
(Norah
yesterday
bound
north.
He
expects
that
his
travels
iwiu
take
him
nvpr
pytpnslvp
tnidssa
territory.
Mr.
Faith
pas
formerly
located
in
wes-
!
Alaska
around
Anchor-
in6e
and
Sewarrt
a,
C
A
.
'e
rallied
today
ding
force
of
.er
pinning
them
'
"
:
ceased
to
be
a
factor
in
main
force
has,
evidently..
superiority.
COURT
OF
REVISION
Several
Reductions
in
Improve
ment
Values
Allowed
by
City
Commissioner
This
Morning.
After
hearing
and
disposing
of
number
of
appeals,
City
Com
missioner
D.
J.
Matheson
rose
In
his
capacity
as
Judge
qf
the
court
of
revision
on
the
municipal
as
sessment
roll
shortly
before
noon
today
and
is
continuing
the
session
this
afternoon.
The
following
revisions
were
or
dered
this
morning,
all
being
on
improvements:
Swift
Canadian
Co.,
waterfront
lease,
$1455
to
$355.
Harry
Long,
lot
2,
block
4,
section
1,
$1855
to
$1800.
Edward
O'Gara,
lot
4,
block
25,
section
1,
$1935
to
$1850.
K.
Sakamoto,
lots
11
and
12,
block
33,
section
1,
$1755
to
?900.
Salvation
Army,
Fraser
Street,
$1355
to
$1155,
$2880
to
$2680.
L.
W.
Patmore,
lots
32
and
33,
block
7,
section
5,
$1235
w
suuu.
t.
w.
Patmore.
lots
38
ana
sv,
block
14.
section
5,
$6180
to
$5500
L.
W.
Patmore,
lot
12,
biocK
id,
section
5.
$155
to
$1100.
Mah
wah
Kee.
lots
23
and
a.
block
15.
section
5,
$7710
to
$7000
Frprf
Lanza,
lot
39,
block
a,
section
1.
$400
to
$300.
Certain
adjustments
were
also
connection
with
land
concerned
In
the
Wartime
Hous
ing
project
across
Hays
Creek.
The
military
police
patrol
car
and
the
Ovcrwaltea
light
delivery
were
In
collision
this
afternoon
at
the
corner
of
Second
Avenue
and
Second
Street.
Ed.
McDonald,
the
driver
of
the
latter
vehicle,
sustained
some
scratches.
The
pa
trol
wagon
was
overturned.
NORTHERN
AND
CENTRAL
BRITISH
COLUMBIA'S
NEWSPAPER
XXXI.,
NO.
33.
War
SUBS
SINK
BIG
SHIP
Amerikaland,
One
of
Largest
Freighters,
Is
U-Boat
Victim
Two
Others
NEW
YORK,
Feb.
9:
The.
15,-000
ton
Swedish
freighter
Ameri
kaland,,
one
of
the
largest
freighters
in
the
world,
was
sunk
February
2
thirty
miles
off
Cape
Hat-
teras
and
within
200
miles
of
New
York
when
an
enemy
submarine
drove
two
torpedoes
into
her,
it
is
announced.
Twenty-eight
missing
members
of
the
crew
are
being
sought
and
eleven
have
been
land
ed,
others
being
still
unac:ounted
;
for.
The
Amerikaland
was
under
j
charter
to
American
Interests.
I
The
United
States
Department
i
of
the
Navy
states
that
Axis
submarines
are
sill
operating
In
a
waters
off
the
United
States
and
Canadian
coasts.
Survivors
of
three
torpedoed
ships
were
landed
at
Atlantlcports
of
Canada
and
the
United
States
over
the
week-end.
In
addition
to
the
Swedish
freighter"
Amerikaland,
from
which
eleven
survivors
have
been
landed
and
twenty-
eight
other
crew
members
are
be
ing
sought,
other
victims
of
enemy
U-boat
action
were
an
unidentified
British
freighter.
54
members
of
the
crew
of
which
have
been
landed
at
an
eastern
Canadian
port
with
eleven
missing
and
believed
lost,
and
the
American
vessel
China
Arrow
37
members
of
the
-crew
of
which
have
been
landed
at
Lewes,
Deleware.
GERMANS
SMASHED
All
Nazi
Attempts
to
Regain
Initi
ative
Are
Foiled
By
the
Russians.
MOSCOW,
Feb.
9:
Soviet
forces
have
smashed
all
German
attempts
to
regain
the
offensive
on
the
Russo-German
front.
A"
whole
Nazi
battalion
has
been
annihilated
on
the
Moscow
front
as
the
Battle
for
Smolensk
continues.
The
Germans
are
believed
to
be
withdrawing
from
the
siege
of
Leningrad
toward
Esthonia.
Germany
may
have
decided
to
fall
back
from
long-besieged
Leningrad
at
the
north
end
of
the
long
Russo-German
w
a
r
front
to
Esthonia.
Both
sides
are
moving
huge
reinforcements
east
of
Smolensk
in
the
central
sector
west
of
Moscow.
RETREAT
IS
ENDED
British
Cease
Falling
Back
in
Campaign
on
Libyan
Desert.
CAIRO,
Feb.
9:
British
forces
have
ceased
falling,
back
before
General
Erwln
Rommell's
Axis
counter-offensive
on
the
Libyan
Desert
west
of
Tobruk.
The
British
who
have
followed
a
scorched
earth
policy
of
retreat,
aret
now
making
a
determined
stand
west
of
Tobruk
and
a
turn
in.
the
tide
has
started.
British
desert
fighters,
holdin;
positions
firmly
before
TohruK,
have
thrust
out
patrols
against
the
enemy
in
the
El
Mechlli
area,
south
of
Gebel
el
Achdar
ranges,
It
was
announced
today.
Mobile
forces
engaged
Axis
groups
twelve
miles
west
of
coastal
Ain
El
Ga-zala.
LOCAL
TEMPERATURE
Maximum
51
Minimum
40
PRINCE
RUPERT,
B.C.
Raging
In
Great
Liner
Normandie,
Now
United
States
Navy
Vessel,
Fireswept
Today
NEW
YORK,
Feb.
9:
(CP)
A
disastrous
fire
swept
the
huge
former
French
liner
Normandie
at
her
Hudson
River
pier
today.
The
$60,000,000
liner,
now
the
United
States
Navy
auxiliary
ship
renamed
Lafayette,
was
being
refitted
and
is
estimated
to
have
had
2500
to
3000
workmen
aboard
when
the
blaze
started.
Most
of
these
are
believed
to
have
escaped
down
ladders.
The
entire
upper
deck
of
the
83,000-ton
vessel
was
ablaze
and
flames
raced
through
the
length
of
the
supcrliner.
SIRENS
ARE
EFFECTIVE
Air
Raid
Alarm
Yesterday
in
Prince
Rupert
Tried
Out
Suif-day
Afternoon.
Prince
Rupert's
newly
installed
air
raid
alarm
system
was
tested
oui
ior
ine
nrsi
time
yesterday
,
tonzed,
are
to
be
formed
in
the
afternoon
and
proved
very
effec-
t
United
States
Army.
The
Ameri-tlve.
Banshees
covering
various
can
air
force
'is
to
be
increased
parts
of
the
city
were
sounded
from
the
central
control
at
fortress
headquarters
and
were
heard
plainly
from
all
quarters
in
houses
andoutside.
Sound
observers
.
,wera
.posted
at.
.
various
points
and
most
all
of
them
reported
favorably
to
the
district
wardens
who
later
met
together
to
check
general
results.
The
air
raid
sirens
are
located
at
Besner
Apartments,
Besner
Block,
Armory,.
Booth
Memorial
School
and"
Seal
Cove
air
base.
All
except
the
last
are
operated
from
the
master
control
and
went
on
the
air
in
synchronization.
At
many
points
two
or
more
of
the
alarms
could
be
heard.
At
the
meeting
with
the
district
wardens
who
received
reports
from
widely
scattered
points
in
their
respective
areas,
some
veiy
surprising
facts
were
revealed.
Section
Two
did
not
hear
the
warning
generally,
although
in
one
location
it
came
in
very
clearly.
I
It
was
heard
on
Digby
Island
quite
well.
The
results
of
the
.
reports
are
being
tabulated
and,
when
the
maps
showing
the
intensity
of
the
sound
are
plotted,
a
reconsideration
with
a
view
to
changing
the
position
of
a
siren
or
Installing
another
one,
will
be
taken
up
by
the
committee.
The
reports
of
the
district
war
dens
were
very
comprehensive
as
the
many
Individuals
who
were
asked
to
note
the
effectiveness
of
the
warning
did
so
very
willing
ly.
District
wardens
reporting
were
J.
L.
Macintosh,
J.
A.
Teng,
G.
T.
German,
H.
A.
Breen,
G.
P.
Tinker,
J.
MacGlashan,
J.
E.
Bud
die.
Reports
from
the
dry
dock
showed
that
the
warning
was
very
clearly
heard
there.
Others
in
attendance
at
the
meeting
were
Inspector
Ernest
Gammon,
J.
J.
Little,
J.
S.
Wilson
and
A.
M,
Davles.
.
Sees
Defeat
Of
Germany
Within
Year
BRISTOL,
Feb.
S!
Sir
Staf
ford
Crlpps,
former
British
ambassador
to
Russia,
said
confidently
yesterday
that
there
was
every
reason
to
be-
lleve
Germany
would
be
de-
feated
this
year.
This
would
be
dependent
on
fulj
support
by
Britain
and
United
States
which
should
be
given
even
if
sacrifice
was
Involved.
MONDAY,
FEBRUARY
9,
U.S.
ARMY
INCREASED
Twenty-Seven
New
Divisions
to
Be
Formed
Expanding
Air
Force.
NEW
YORK,
Feb.
9:
Twenty-mostly
seven
new
divisions.
mo-
to
one
million
officers
and
men
and
will
soon
be
doubled.
vonNGlT
ON
TODAY
Results
of
Four
Hard-Fought
By-Elections
in
Canada
Being
Awaited
With
Interest.
OTTAWA,
Feb.
9:P)
Electors
went
to
the
polls
In
four
federal
constituencies
today
after
an
intensive
campaign
featuring
the
conscription
Issue,
party
splits
in
which
some
Ontario
Liberals
and
Conservatives
aligned
themselves
against
the
federal
government,
resurgence
of
the
feud
between
Premier
Mitchell
Hepburn
of
Ontario
and
Prime
Minister
William
Lyon
Mackenzie
King,
formation
of
a
new
Canadian
party
sponsor
ing
two
candidates
and
sharp
cleavage
among
Quebec
Liberals.
The
line-ups
are
as
follows:
Welland
-
Hon.
Humphrey
Mitchell,
minister
of
labor;
Douglas
Watt,
Independent;
Mark
Kriluk,
Co-operative
Commonwealth
Federation.
York
South
Rt.
Hon.
Arthur
Meighen,
Conservative;
J.
Nor-worthy,
C.C.F.
Quebec
East
Hon.
A.
E.
St.
Laurent,
Liberal;
Paul
Bouchard,
Canadian
Party.
Montreal-St.Mary
Baoul
Peril-lard.
Canadian
party.
Marcel
Os-
tiguy,
Gaspard
Fauteux,
Emu
Naud,
all
running
as
Liberals
without
official
Liberal
party
support.
Welland
is
the
most
bitterly
fought
with
Premier
Hepburn
supporting
Watt
and
suggesting
that,
if
he
is
elected,
Prime
Minister
Mackenzie
King
might
call
a
gen
eral
election
Instead
of
a
plebis
cite.
MALTA
IS
HARD
HIT
Axis
Bombers
Continue
to
Pound
British
Mediterranean
Fortress;
LONDON,
Feb.
9:
Malta
report
ed
its
toughest
day
of
air
attacks
since
the
war
began.
There
were
no
less
than
thirteen
enemy
air
raids
on
the
Mediterranean
island
base
on
Saturday.
A
German
claim
was
that
one
British
submarine
had
been
iunk
at
Malta
and
a
cruiser
hit.
A
German
Messerschmldt
was
brought
down
and
four
British
planes
are
missing.
Low
1942.
Far
16.7
ft.
8.5
ft.
55
ft.
PIUCEf
'nVfi
CENTS"""
"
Japanese
Still
On
Offensive
in
Pacific;
Land
Near
Singapore
Blows
Rained
on
Burma
and
Netherlands
East
Indies
and
Even
Fort
Darwin
in
Australia
Has
Alarm.
After
nine
weeks
of
warfare
in
the
southwest
Pacific,
the
united
nations
are
still
on
the
defensive
with
the
Japanese
raining
blows
thick
and
fast
on
Singapore,
Burma,
the
East
Indies
and
the
Philippines.
Fresh,
assaults
have
occurred
in
each
area
and
there
are
growing
indications
of
all
out
offensive
by
the
enemy.
The
Japa
POSITION
IMPROVED
Things
Much
Better
in
Burma
Wavell
Pays
Visit
Is
WeU
Satisfied.
RANGOON,
Feb.
9:
W
At
the
point
where
some
observer
are
believing
the
Japanese
drive
in
the
Far
East
may
be
broken,
General
Sir
Archibald
Wavell,
commander-in-chief
of
the
united
nations
forces
in
the
Far
East,
visited
the
Burma
front
at
the
week-end.
-
He
expressed
satisfaction
with
the
defences
along
the
Salween
River
and
said
there
were
grounds
for
"reasoned
optimism."
t
Lieut.
Gen.
T.
J.
Button,
British
commander
in
Burma,
said
that
the
presence
of
General
Wavell
had
given
great
satisfaction
and
confidence
to
everyone.
General
Button
said:
"We
are
in
a
far
sounder
position
to
call
a
halt
to
the
Japanese
than
before."
More
Chinese-
forces
have
joined
other
reinforcements
in
Burma.
SOAP
NOW
RATIONED
Is
Latest
Commodity
To
Be
Limited
In
Britain
LONDON,
Feb.
9:
Soap
is
the
latest
commodity
to
be
rationed
in
Britain.
Three
ounces
per
week
per
person
will
be
the
limit
for
toilet
soap,
four
ounces
laundry
soap,
three
ounces
soap
chips
or
flakes,
six
ounces
powdered
soap.
Shaving
soap
Is
not
rationed.
Air
Force
Mobile
Recruiting
Party
To
Visit
Prince
Rupert
and
Other
Parts
of
District
Around
End
of
This
Month.
A
mobile
recruiting
unit
of
the
Royal
Canadian
Air
Force
will
again
visit
Prince
Rupert
on
March
4
and
5,
it
is
announced,
arriving
here
by
train
from
Terrace
on
the
night
of
March
3
and
proceeding
by
steamer
to
Ocean
Falls
on
the
night
of
March
5.
The
party
will
ponsist,
of
recruiting
officer,
medical
officer
and
non-commission
ed
officer,
equipped
to
complete
the
medical
examinations
of
applicants
on
the
spot.
The
itinerary
for
this
district
is
as
follows:
Feb.
19
to
21
Prince
George.
Feb.
21
to
24
Vanderhoof.
Feb.
24
to
26
Smithers.
Feb.
26
to
28
Hazelton.
Feb.
28
to
March
3
Terrace.
March
3
to
5
Prince
Rupert.
March
6
to
7
Ocean
Falls.
East
nese
have
commenced
landings
in
Singapore
Island
proper.
At
Rangoon
twenty-four
Japanese
planes
attacked
the
city
Saturday
and
three
were
brought
down.
Early
yesterday
there
was
an
even
more
intensive
assault.
Capture
of
Am-boina
Island
in
the
Netherlands
East
Indies
gives
the
Japanese
control
of
the
second
largest
na
val
base
in
the
whole
Far
East.
More
intensive
attacks
have
been
started
against
General
Douglas
RIcArthur's
forces
In
the
Philip
pines.
The
Japanese
siege
army
started
its
first
real
offensive
by
landing
on
an
island
commanding
the
east
end
of
Johore
Strait
Sunday
and
today
made
further
landings.
The
Allied
defenders
did
not
oppose
the
first
landing.
No
details
were
given
but
the
first
landing
parties,
it
was
suggested,
were
merely
patrols.
Fierce
artillery
exchanges
across
the
Straits
of
Johore
continue
and
several
enemy
batteries
were
reported
put
out
of
action.
A
British
patrol
boat
sank
an
enemy
vessel,
with
thirty
men
aboard,
In
Johore
Straits,
most
being
drowned.
Air
battles
over
Singapore
continue.
The
Japanese,
using
barges
and
under
cover
of
heavy
artillery
and
aerial
fire,
landed
at
several
more
points
along
a
ten-mile
frontage
of
Singapore
Island
today.
The
British
defenders
are
now
endeavoring
to
mop
up
the
invaders
as
they
land.
Rangoon
had
Its
heaviest
air
raid
so
far
in
the
war
early
yesterday.
Bombs
were
dropped
on
the
airdrome
and
also
in
the
metropolitan
area.
Desperate
efforts
are
evidently
being
made
by
the
enemy
to
knock
out
Allied
air
power
in
Burma.
On
land
the
Japanese
are
bringing
up
reinforcements
and
so
are
the
united
nations.
Enemy
planes
have
been
over
New
Guinea
again,
also
over
Tal-
lanban
and
elsewhere
in
the
East
Indies.
Batavia
had
bombs
dropped
on
It
for
the
first
time
to
day.
Fort
Darwin,
on
the
northern
Australian
mainland,
had
its
third
alarm
since
the
start
of
the
war
but
no
planes
came
over.
No
further
enemy
activity
against
Australian
territory
Is
reported
today.
In
China,
Generalissimo
Chiang
Kai-shek's
forces
have
withdrawn
further
from
Waichang.
The
Japanese
have
started
another
monster
drive
with
"suicide
detachments"
and
big
guns
on
the
remnants
of
General
Douglas
Mc-Arthur's
forces
on
Batan
Peninsula
in
the
Philippines,
but
the
defenders,
w'hile
jglvlng
some
ground,
are
hanging
on
jgrlrnly.
.'
t
Sinking
Of
Destroyer
LONDON,
Feb.
9:
The
Ad-
mlralty
announces
the
loss
of
the
destroyer
H.
M.
S.
Mata-
bello.
The
vessel
had
a
nor-
mal
complement
of
190.
No
particulars
are
given
as
to
the
place
or
circumstances
of
the
sinking.
.
I.
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