AMERICAN NAVAL LOSSES

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23512, 15 December 1941, Page 5

AMERICAN NAVAL LOSSES

SINKING OF ARIZONA CLAIMED 30 JAPANESE AIRCRAFT SHOT DOWN (Received December 14, 9.10 p.m.) (U.P.A.) WASHINGTON, Dec. 13. A communique from Imperial Headquarters in Tokyo claims that the United States battleship Arizona was sunk off Hawaii in addition to the two battleships already reported sunk. Imperial Headquarters also announced that the Japanese lost 30 aeroplanes in the attack on Hawaii, which occurred during a heavy rainstorm, and that was perhaps the reason why the enemy was insufficiently on guard. Two formations took part, one equipped with fish torpedoes and the other with bombs. It was the first time the Japanese had used aerial torpedoes. Japanese Naval Headquarters in Tokyo have announced that Japanese destroyers sank an American submarine off the Philippines. President Roosevelt at his press conference in Washington said that he was wailing for further information before announcing the losses suffered in the raid on Pearl Harbour. He gave warning against misleading rumours, and said that a report would be made by the Secretary of the Navy (Colonel Frank Knox), who has now returned to Washington after flying to Honolulu. There have been no further reports of enemy activities at Hawaii. In four successive raids on the mornings of December 7 and 8 bombs dropped like hail on Army and Air Force centres and fleet units.

The latest civilian casualty list shows 49 dead and 100 injured. The publication of testimony taken by the Senate Appropriations Committee disclosed to-day a charge by Senator J. Thomas that the air detectors’ service was not operating when the Japanese attacked.

RUSSIA AND JAPAN

No Second Front At Present

SOVIET AMBASSADOR’S

VIEWS

(Received December 14, 9.30 p.m.) WASHINGTON, December 13.

‘'lt must bo plain even to babes that the war now sweeping the world is a result of a vast conspiracy among the international gangsters calling themselves the Axis Powers.” said M. Litvinov, the newly-appointed Soviet Ambassador to the United States, speaking to the press. Japan was a common enemy belonging to the same bunch of Axis gangsters, he added. He explained that the sectors in which the great Powers fighting aggression had concentrated their strength must be ruled solely by the interests of the common cause. “We are all in the same boat and must crash or triumph together over the greatest menace of our times, and we will triumph,” he said. According to the Washington correspondent of the “New York Times,” M. Litvinov indicated that Russia intends to concentrate her war effort in Europe and smash Hitler, but does not intend to open a second front against Japan at present, M. Litvinov added; “I do not know whether Russia will sever diplomatic relations' with Japan.”

AUSTRALIAN WAR MEASURES EVACUATION PLANS PREPARED BAN IMPOSED ON NIGHT TRADING SYDNEY, December 13. The New South Wales Minister for National Emergency Services (Mr R. J Heffron) stated that plans had been made for the evacuation of about 100,000 children from vulnerable areas to safe country districts. The State Cabinet has decided to place the Police Force and fire brigades on a war footing. Plans for the evacuation ot patients from the large metropolitan hospitals have also been made by the Cabinet. . „ Under an order issued m Melbourne on Friday afternoon, all shops, except pharmacies and those selling food exclusively. ceased trading at 6 p.m. No order has yet been issued requiring a complete black-out, the present plans requiring only the elimination of sky glow. Preparations are being made so that the black-out can bo effected at a moment’s notice. The police have been given full power to extinguish all exterior lights over shop windows and neon signs. . A decree closing night theatres will not be imposed until the theatres have been given an opportunity of organising programmes which will terminate at 6 p.m. As a double issue of petrol ration tickets for December and January had already been issued, cuts will not take effect until February unless the Government decides that the public is wasting the present issue, when the present issue of tickets wall be cancelled. The only holidays to be observed at Christmas will be Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and New Year’s Day. Daylight saving is under consideration both by the Federal and State Governments and. judging from the pressure exercised by the newspapers and important public bodies, it seems likely to be adopted shortly.

JAPANESE BONDS NOW WORTHLESS

REACTIONS ON LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE

LONDON, December 12

All things considered, Japan’s entry into the war had smaller reactions on the London Stock Exchange than any other development of comparable importance. The Pacific war left its mark on a wide range of stocks, but there were no really substantial liquidations, apart from securities directly in the line of the war. Japanese bonds are hardly worth the paper they are printed on. Tin and oil stores declined, and Australian and New Zealand bonds had a downward tendency, but even after the staggering nows of the British naval losses most sections were relatively firm at the close. SPAIN CLOSES PART OF FRONTIER MADRID, December 12. The Foreign Minister (Senor Suneri told the American Ambassador iMr Alexander W. Weddell) that Spain's policy is not changing as a result of the Pacific development. The frontier between Spain and France has been closed at Port Bour and Lajunqucra, but is still open at Irun.