NAVAL STRENGTH IN PACIFIC

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26151, 29 June 1950, Page 5

NAVAL STRENGTH IN PACIFIC

BRITISH AND U.S.

VESSELS WARSHIPS IN JAPANESE WATERS (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 10 p.m.) TOKYO, June 28. The British Navy is in . greater strength at present in Japanese waters than is the United States Navy. A Royal Naval spokesman in Tokyo today said that most ships of the Far Eastern Station were now lying in Japanese ports. Rear-Admiral W. G. Andrews, aboard the cruiser H.M.S. Belfast, has the air-craft-carrier Triumph, the cruiser Jamaica, the destroyers Cossack and Consort, the frigates Black Swan, Alacrity and Hart, and one supply ship and a tanker in Japanese ports. In addition the Australian frigate. Shoalhaven, is at Kure and the Australian destroyer, Bataan, will arrive on July 1.

The United States Naval forces in Japanese waters at present are only one cruiser and four destroyers. All American combat units are now at sea.

A message from Honolulu says that Admiral Arthur W. Radford, Comman-der-in-Chief of the United States Pacific Fleet said to-day that a task force headed by the big aircraft-car-rier Philippine Sea. was being organised on the United States West Coast for movement to the Hawaiian area.

He said that the decision had been taken in view of the situation in the Western Pacific.

The task force would include one heavy cruiser and probably a destroyer squadron.