Vichy. June 15.
The British naval squadron now engaged in shelling French positions. on the Lebanese coast consists of nine warships. at least three of which are heavy units—Havas, London, June 16, A grim story of the war at soa has been' told following. the arrival in New York of 78 survivors of the Bri-{ish steamship Brittania, 8800 tons, ich was sunk by a German raider last March off the African coast while en route to India, In admitting the forced retirement from Sidon, last night's French army communique from Syria says that effort to alleviate the present pr sure exercised on coastal detachments, bombing planes twice attacked British ships, causing them momentarily 10 withdraw from the coast. This. it is claimed, greatly helped their troops 10 hold Sidon "until the night and effect later on Saturday a "prescribed" withdrawal to positions further north, where it is stated Vichy troops. ard obstinately' resisting the powerful combined efforts of the British Fleet and land forces,"
New ait reinforcements from France are arriving in the Levant. declares tke communique, which claims. that Jouring the night of June 13-14 Vichy. forees harassed the allies south of Sidon, The Brittania had about 400 people board. The raider fired 70 shells liber. Three hundred passengers and the crew of 100 crowded into four open boats, one of which, with 82 passengers, set out for South America, 1,500 miles away. The third emeer was in command. He rationed the party to one ounce of water-and tone biscuit a day.
Forty-four of this party died from wounds or exposure, the remaining 38 finally beached their -boat near a Brazilian port where they fell exhausted on the sand. They were not found until the next day when a Bra-lilian took @ note from the third of-fieer to the nearest British Consul here from Syrin yesterday en route to Istanbul—Reuter,
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