The US secretary of defence, Mr Robert McNamara, said in Washington last night that armed boarding parties would be ready to search about 25 Russian cargo ships moving towards Cuba when the US partial blockade of Cuba comes into effect at
3 p.m. (BST) today. The proclamation giving effect to the blockade was signed by President Kennedy last night.
At a press conference in the Defence Department, Mr McNamara said he had ordered that all Navy and Marine personnel should be held on active duty for as much as a year beyond the expiration of their normal tours.
Washington sources said that the first Russian ship to be intercepted might be the Polotavia, apparently designed to carry missiles. Reconnaissance planes had taken photographs of the vessel, which was unescorted, and the Navy was keeping a special watch for her.
Other developments in the Cuban crisis yesterday were:
Russia cancelled all military leave yesterday after the Soviet Government had issued a harshly worded reply to President Kennedy. The Russians said that America was playing with fire and added that a most powerful retaliatory blow would follow if ╥the aggressors╙ touched off war. Other members of the Communist block have ordered military preparedness.
Dr Fidel Castro issued a mobilisation order to Cuba╒s armed forces shortly before Mr Kennedy╒s speech on Monday night. A communiquÄ said hundreds of thousands of men were mobilised in a matter of hours.
The Security Council met last night to discuss the crisis. Mr Zorin, Russian president of the council, said the US reasons for calling the meeting were completely false, and presented a Soviet draft resolution asking the Council to ╥insist╙ that the US revoke its blockade decision. The resolution called for talks between Russia, Cuba and the US, with the purpose of ╥normalising the situation and removing the threat of war.╙
Britain, in a Foreign Office statement, accused Russia of ╥deception and deliberately opening up a new area of instability by placing offensive arms in Cuba.╙ Mr Macmillan is expected to make a statement on the crisis tomorrow.
A curfew has been imposed on the British garrison in Berlin, which is taking ╥precautionary measures.╙
Prices in the London Stock Exchange yesterday suffered a further sharp setback. Much lower and wider prices were quoted to discourage heavy selling, and there was a keen demand for gold in the London bullion market.
