NAVAL BATTLE LIKELY

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23587, 14 March 1942, Page 7

NAVAL BATTLE LIKELY

OPINION IN UNITED STATES

SUPREMACY IN PACIFIC AT STAKE (Received March 14, 1.20 a.m.) NEW YORK, March 12.

Naval supremacy in the Pacific may be decided by a battle which a New York radio station declares to be imminent. American and Japanese naval forces, it says, now manoeuvring for position in readiness for a combat. Such an engagement has been anticipated by naval authorities, who claim Japan would not move large forces for an attack on Australia without first testing the strength of the naval opposition which would threaten her lines of communication. The United States Under-Secretary of War (Mr R. P. Patterson) said the United States Army and Navy were preparing to carry the war to the enemy. “I cannot tell you where.” he said. "The enemy will find out about it first.” , . . Japan has lost 19 warships so far in the Pacific. This was admitted in the Diet by the Minister for the Navy. Admiral Shimada, He also conceded the loss of 27 transports. He claimed the | Allies had lost 130 warships, including I seven battleships, .three aircraft-car-' riers, 22 destroyers, and 44 submarines. The Japanese had lost 122 aircraft and destroyed 1554. He emphasised that Japan had not lost a single vessel above the cruiser class. MONEY SAVED FROM SINGAPORE PAY CORPS MEN TAKE AWAY £590,000 (Received March 13, 8 p.m.) SYDNEY, March 13. First packed unceremoniously into, haversacks and later stuffed into kit | ba"s ammunition boxes, and sacks ] money enough for a king’s ransom and ; vita' British Army financial records; were saved from Singapore and are ] now in Australia. The cash totalled | about £590,000. and in addition there, were all the January charges against] the troops and other vital pay corps i records, which brought the sums involved to some £750.000. ; Six officers and 48 members of the; Royal Army Pay Corps left Singapore with the money a short time before the. surrender of the island. Their ship was dive-bombed by the Japanese and later they just missed an enemy invasion fleet bound for Palembang.

Women to Wear Slacks at Work.— The Mayor of West Palm Beach (Florida) (Mr Hitt) to-day granted a request from women employees at the city hall for permission to wear slacks on duty to enable them to cycle to work and save automobile tyres. They can wear shorts as far as I■ a ro concerned ” the Mayor added.—West Palm Beach (Florida), March 12.

Training of U.S. Pilots.-The United states War Department has announced auementation of civilian elementary pilof training from 25,000 to 45.000 a. year Facilities for the secondary flying course have been tripled to train 30 000 a year. In addition 31.000 ground technicians are being tiained. All who undergo flying or ground training must agree to serve in the Army Air Corps.—Washington, March 12.