JAPANESE LOSE NINE SHIPS

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23813, 5 December 1942, Page 5

JAPANESE LOSE NINE SHIPS

GUADALCANAR ACTION

LANDING ATTEMPT

FAILS

(N.Z. Press Association— Copyright.)

(Rec. 11 p.m.) WASHINGTON. Dec. 3. The United States Navy has announced that the Japanese attempted to land reinforcements on Guadalcanal Nine Japanese warships and auxiliaries were sunk by United States forces. . , . „ The enemy losses comprised two large destroyers or cruisers, four small destroyers, two troop transports, and one supply ship. The United States forces lost one cruiser sunk. The number of other vessels damaged has not been announced. . . . , The battle occurred on the night ot November 30 off Guadalcanar Island after a United Stales naval task force had frustrated another large-scale Japanese attempt to land reinforcements on Guadalcanar. The Washington correspondent of the United Press says it is unofficially estimated that 7000 Japanese were killed by gunfire and drowning in the abortive attempt to reinforce Guadalcanar.

According to a Navy communique the Japanese apparently made a desperate effort to reinforce and supply their hard-pressed land forces which have been cut off from supplies since the great naval battle in the middle of November. This time the Japanese apparently did not risk capital ships, relying on the element of surprise under cover of darkness. The intensified and continuous American patrol activity reported on Guadalcanar has strengthened the belief that Major-General A. Vandergrift is seeking to eliminate pockets of resistance in order to clear the way for a major land offensive against the main Japanese positions near Cape Esperance, to the north-west of Guadalcanar. Japanese sailors rescued from a craft following Monday night's battle off Guadalcanar have identified one of the destroyers sunk as the Takanami.

A United States Navy communique states that on December 1, Army and Navy aircraft continued their daylight attacks against enemy positions on Guadalcanar. On December 2 United States marines attacked a patrol of 60 Japanese near the Upper Lunga river. Thirty-five of the enemy were killed and a quantity of arms and ammunition was captured. In another encounter between United States and enemy patrols in the Matanikau area, 20 Japanese were killed.

JAPANESE NAVAL FORCES

20 SHIPS OFF CHINA COAST LONDON, Dec.; 3. A Japanese naval force of 20 ships has been sighted off the Chekiang coast south of Shanghai. Its destination is not known.

WAVE OF OPTIMISM IN AMERICA

WAR PRODUCTION LEADER CONCERNED (Rec. 7.10 p.m.) NEW YORK, Dec. 3. The unwarranted wave of optimism sweeping the country since the turn of the tide in the Mediterranean has alarmed the chief of the War Production Board (Mr Donald M. Nelson), who has told businessmen it is not only unjustified but positively dangerous, reports the Washington correspondent of the “New York Times.” Mr Nelson added that a long, hard struggle lay ahead, in which the enemy might still spring unpleasant surprises. Now was not the time to begin planning post-war business, but to speed up the war effort and cash in on initial successes.

DEFENSIVE WAR IN EUROPE

GERMAN STRENGTH STILL DANGEROUS (Rec. 7 p.m.) WASHINGTON, Dec. 3. Interviewed in Washington, the Polish leader, General Sikorski, expressed the opinion that, in spite of the United Nations taking the offensive in Europe it would be highly dangerous to underestimate Germany’s strength. Hitler was prepared to wage a defensive war within Europe, using it as a fortress, calculated to exhaust the Allies, and thus encourage a negotiated peace. This would be infinitely more dangerous than Versailles, and the worst possible peace for the world.

ALLIED PRISON SHIP TORPEDOED

1400 ITALIANS LOST (Rec. 12.30 a.m.) NEW YORK, Dec. 3. A United Nations prison ship loaded with 1800 Italian prisoners was torpedoed by a German submarine. Five survivors of the crew told the Canadian Prime Minister (Mr_W. L. Mackenzie King) about the sinking when he visited the Canadian canteen. They added that the ship was sunk within an hour and 1400 Italians were lost. Five of the crew were picked up and taken to Casablanca, where they were interned. Later they were freed by the American occupation forces.

WORK FOR NEW WORLD ORDER

OBJECTIVE OF UNITED NATIONS (Rec. 7 p.m.) Dec. 3. “The United Nations’ goal must be a new world order, governed by a universal rule of law, and based on human rights, not the rights of property, privilege, or position,” said the Canadian Prime Minister (Mr W. L. Mackenzie King), addressing the Pilgrims’ dinner. He said the war for freedom would not be won when fear of Nazi and Japanese domination was destroyed, but when human welfare and social security became the main concern of men and nations.

Mr Mackenzie King added that Canada’s war effort would never have reached its present proportions except for co-operation from the United States.

20,000 DEATHS FROM

STARVATION

(Rec. 7.45 p.m.) ZURICH. Dec. 3. Field-Marshal Mannerheim has informed the International Red Cross authorities at Helsinki that 20.000 Russian war prisoners died of starvation in Finland.

Farm Labour Costs.— The House of Representatives unanimously passed legislation redefining agricultural parity to include the costs of all farm labour, a step against which Mr Roosevelt expressed unalterable opposition when his anti-inflation proposals were submitted to Congress two months ago,—Washington, December 3. Joining Ihc Fighting French.—General de Lavallade, chief of the French military mission in Brazil, has announced that he has joined Fighting France.—London, December 3.