The Bay of Plenty Beacon Published Tuesdays and Fridays. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1943 ATTRITION IN PACIFIC

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 7, Issue 18, 26 October 1943, Page 4

The Bay of Plenty Beacon Published Tuesdays and Fridays. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1943 ATTRITION IN PACIFIC

IN territory regained the United Nations have little as yet to show for their operations in the Pacific, and the swing of the tide that' has set in so definitely during the past few months has been effective more in the destruction of Japanese war potential than in definite reconquests. Progress in the fighting in New Georgia may be slow as yet, but, as against any disappointment which that may occasion is the fact that neither in the Solomons nor in New Guinea have the Allies suffered any reverses. The landings that have, been made have in all cases been consolidated. It is obvious that General Mac Arthur has received very considerable air reinforcements, with -the result that Allied bombers are ranging far and wide over enemy bases, and, in many instances, dropping very considerable bomb loads. This increased air strength, which has been accompanied by a very high ratio of Japanese air losses, has not only had the effect of making things difficult for the enemy in his main forward bases, but also brought about the high Japanese losses at sea, of which the latest example is that quoted in the loss of a Japanese cruiser and numerous small craft. In both aircraft and warships Japanese strength is beingwhittled away at a rate that must before very long leave ■the Allies with overwhelming strength both in the air and on the water. Japanese naval losses to date prove that the published figures of Japanese strength at the outbreak of the war gave them a much smaller fleet than they actually possessed. For instance, in October, 1941, Japan was credited with possessing 126 destroyers, with seven building. Up to the beginning of this month, the Allies had reported 62 Japanese destroyers sunk, the same number damaged by the United States naval forces and 20 damaged by General Mac Arthur's forces. Of ten battleships in commission and eight building in October, 1941, two have been sunk and ten have been reported as damaged. Japan was reputed to have 46 cruisers and ten building. So far 24 have been sunk and 68 reported as damaged. Those figures, considered against the background of Japan's moderate replacement capacity, make the Allied outlook in Ihe Pacific very satisfactory.