MUCH OUTWEIGHED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 14 January 1943, Page 4

MUCH OUTWEIGHED

BY NEW CONSTRUCTION & ADAPTATION AMERICAN NAVAL LOSSES. IMMENSE FORCE BEING BUILT UP (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 1.30 p.m.) NEW YORK, January 13. The “New York Times” military correspondent, Mr Hanson Baldwin, says the loss of eleven ships in the Solomons battle, which were identified in yesterday’s communique, is more than counter-balanced by new fleet additions. The loss of the Hornet was the severest, because she was the newest of seven regular carriers with which the United States started the war and the fourth sunk. “That the Japanese losses were much heavier,” he adds, “is proven by the fact that we are still in the Southern Solomons, with our positions consolidated and we are exercising naval control of Solomons waters. The Japanese have been repulsed at every attempt at reconquest. Our carrier strength should soon be far greater than it was before the war. Three new carriers have already been launched and eight more will probably be completed in 1943. Three carriers converted from cruiser hulls will soon be fighting, while literally scores of freighters and tankers are t being converted to carriers. Cruiser and destroyer losses are similarly being replaced. We will be fighting before the war ends with a fleet that before Pearl Harbour was only a dream in the brain of the Naval High Command.