WARSHIPS IN ANTARCTIC

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25428, 26 February 1948, Page 7

WARSHIPS IN ANTARCTIC

Meeting Believed Unlikely ARGENTINE UNITS’ MOVEMENTS (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 6.35 p.m.) NEW YORK, Feb. 24. “Authoritative sources in Buenos Aires indicated to-day that Argentine and British naval forces would not meet in the waters of the Antarctic areas claimed by both countries,” says the Buenos Aires correspondent of the United Press of America. “The British cruiser Nigeria and the sloop Snipe are now on the way to Deception Island, in the Sputh Shetlands, where the Argentine Task Force No. 1 has been manoeuvring since the week-end. The chief Argentine units, the cruisers Almirante Brown and Veinticinco de Mayo, are expected to return to their base at Ushaia, Tierra, del Fuego, by the end of the week, before the arrival of the Nigeria.”

Two Argentine destroyers are now proceeding to Melchior Island to relieve the Argentine base personnel. Other Argentine ships at present in the South Orkneys and Admiralty Bay are expected to rejoin the task force at Ushaia in preparation for their return to their winter base in the north.

“Rear-Admiral Ismael Perez del Cerro, commander of the Argentine High Seas Fleet, and Harold Cappus, commander of the task force, landed at Deception Island yesterday to inspect the Argentine installations.”