Saigon, Mar, 1, Cochin-China observed a complete blackout tonight as tension mounted in Saigon over the apparent deadlock at the Tokyo mediation conference for settlement of the Thar-French Indo-China border dispute, This precautionary measure came on the heels of large-scale anti-air raid manœuvres during which troops went into action to fight simulated fires and to rescue "victims.
Forty Japanese civilians residing in the Saigon area, meanwhile, completed evacuation preparations and made ready to depart on the Bangkok Maru which is scheduled to arrive here on March 4, Close contact was being maintained between the Japanese Consul-General, Mr. Fujio Minota and Colone] Yasumasa Koike and Captain Kanei Chudo, members of the Japanese military and naval missions to French Indo-China, It was understood that large French forces rushed from northern Indo-China have completed defence dispositions in the Saigon area—Domei,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.