Singapore, June 21.
The French Defence Mission, headed by Admiral Jean Decoux, Commander-In-Chief of the Indo-China Army, and Colonel Deveze, Chief of the Far East Air staff, arrived here today for the joint "Anglo-French defence conference which starts tomorrow, "The French Mission was met by a guard of honour and British military And naval officials at a ceremonial landing. The French Mission arrived aboard the Lamotte Plequet.
After the landing ceremonies, the Hvench Mission called on Sir Shen-ten Thomas, the Governor.
Meanwhile, the British Star Ome~ ors met at Fort Canning for pre-Siminary talks prior to the opening of the Anglo-French discussions to~ morrow when armed guards will be posted around the conference build-{ng to insure secrecy, The majority of the problems to discussed will remain secret, although it Was authoritatively. "confirmed that arrangements will be discussed regarding. the refitting and commissioning of French warships "and. those of friendly powers" "at the Singapore naval base, Local newspapers were for the Arst time authorized to reveal that the French cruiser Primauguet had used the Singapore Naval Base last month, The British East Indies station vessels will be refitted at Singapore in future, it was learned.
"Tomorrow's conference will exa mine plans for the pooling of Anglo-French supplies of war materials in the Far East in the event of an emergency. Ample stocks of essential materials and food are now stored at Singapore, oMicials said.
The Conference is expected to discuss the modernization of the equipment of the Indo-China forces and expanding the defence works of Cam Raub Bay as well analyze for the for the first time jointly the lessons of large scale manauvres recently held off Singapore and elsewhere on the China Sea independently by the British and French Fleets.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.