WAR AT SEA

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 January 1941, Page 7

WAR AT SEA

AMERICAN ADMIRAL’S SURVEY j COMPARISON OF FLEETS. ! JAPANESE PREPARATIONS AGAINST U.S.A. I I ‘By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright WASHINGTON. December 31. In a review for the United Press of I America of losses in naval action las! ! year, Rear-Admiral Yates Stirling June., expressed the opinion that Unitj ed Slates aid to Britain may be a dei cicing factor. He lists the British lossi es, and concludes that the transfers : tri m the United States have more than compensated for the lost destroyers, j Ccuritmg replacements, including j those from Franca*, the British naval I position is actually as strong as when i the war began. Fs r the defeat of submarine and air attacks against merchantmen. Britain." he say-', "needs more destroyers and bombers- and also the use of Irish bases. "The last sixteen months have proved that the battleship has become more formidable on the seas because of air power. Heavy surface warships are still the backbone of sea power, provided they are always accompanied by adequate co-operating air power. "Germany is reported to be building a submarine a day. If this is true, her losses, are more than compensated for ■Tlie .British submarine losses make the blockade of German bases more difficult, Italy and Germany received naval reinforcements by the building I of at leas’ two Italian and two German | battleships. "It is believed that eight Japanese battleships and four 20.000-ton cruisers are under construction. Undoubtedly Japan contemplates the use of these cruisers to drive United States trade from the seas. Such vessels could range as far as Panama and the United States Pacific coast to attack coastal shipping. They will be fast and heav-ily-gunned. enough to overtake and defeat United States cruiser-:. The United States has no answer to this, except submarines."

AT FULL SPEED AMERICAN CONSTRUCTION PROGRAMME. STATEMENT BY COLONEL KNOX. WASHINGTON. December 31. 'l’he Secretary of the Navy. Colonel Kncx. in a special dispatch to the United Press of America, said: "The year 1941 will see the navy programme making full speed. Planes men and bases are still receiving the strictest attention. The United States fleet is at present the hardest hitting fighting unit afloat. By the end of 1941 it will be immeasurably strengthened by the addition of two battleships, one cruiser and at least 10 submarines. 14 destroyers and also repair ships, submarine and seaplane tentiers. submarine chasers and torpedo boats. "Transports, ml tankers, ammunition ships, storeships. minelayers, and sweepers are being converted from merchant ships already purchased. By the end of 1941 the bases acquired from Britain will be in such condition that no enemy will be able to penetrate our Atlantic shores without facing a fight far from our seaboard. .-Ml projects for air and naval bases in the Pacific are on nr ahead of schedule.” ■