UNITED STATES DEFENCE

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 137, 6 March 1941, Page 8

UNITED STATES DEFENCE

Battalions Of Marines Embark HEAVY ARMAMENT

Said To Be For Samoa And Christmas Island

By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.) NEW YORK, March 4.

The San Diego correspondent of the North American Newspaper Alliance reports that two motorized battalions of marines equipped with most extensive armament have sailed for the south-west.

It is understood that they are destined for Samoa and Christmas Island, thus closing a strategic gap and providing stepping-stones for surface and aerial craft between 1 Hawaii and Australia. Simultaneously it would bring American forces closer to Singapore and extend the American defensive line from the United States to Hawaii and the Philippines.

The State Department, states a Washington message, has announce! that, pursuant to the Declaration of Havana, Mexico and the United States have agreed to exchange views and co-ordinate common defence measures. The Mexican Government has instructed its military, naval and air attaches at the Mexican Embassy in Washington to discuss with the United States experts plans relating to the assistance that the two countries could render each other in the event of aggression against either. “Conversations are already in progress,” said the statement, “to discuss the manner of carrying out collaboration, observing always the greatest regard for the principle of the national sovereignty of the two States.” Mr. Vinson has introduced a Bill authorizing an increase in navy personnel to 300,000, also the addition of 200,000 tons to existing navy auxiliary craft.

Navy hydrographers have warned mariners that three dangerous areas have been established on the east .coast of Iceland. They gave no details, but presumably meant minefields.

LOSSES AT SEA

Week Ended February 23 . (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, March 4. Mercantile losses due to enemy action during the week ended at midnight on February 23 were 14 ships, of 60,868 tons, comprising 13 British (53,834 tons) and one Allied ship of 7034 tons. The German High Command claimed that a total of 69,028 tons was sunk during this period. The Italians claimed 6500 tons, making a total enemy claim of 75,528. It is now known -that seven ships were sunk when the convoy was attacked by a German raider off the Azores on February 12. when the Nazis claimed 14. Of the 19 ships in that convoy 11 reached port tafely, and one other was torpedoed and sunk 12 days later.

GERMAN’S BOAST

War Will Not Last Long

RIO DE JANEIRO, March 4. Captain Brinkman, master of the German freighter Lech, which ran the blockade from Bordeaux, said that the only occurrences worthy of mention were numerous meetings at many points with German vessels and longdistance bombers. Captain Brinkman said that the Lech will not leave till after the. war ends, “which will not be long.”