NOTES ON THE WAR NEWS

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIII, Issue 116, 19 May 1942, Page 4

NOTES ON THE WAR NEWS

LAND, SEA, AND AIR

INTENSE STRUGGLE

Apart from descriptions of incidents, there are few fresh developments in the early news of the war today. The main straggle is im Russia, where the battle of Kharkov is growing in intensity as the Germans make more and more desperate efforts to retain this key city. The issue in this great and

possibly decisive battle is still un-

certain, but the Russians are main- > tabling the heaviest pressure with considerable success. In, the Far .East the threat to Southern China is formidable, but the fighting retreat of the British in Burma has given India precious time to prepare her defences.

The air attack of the EA.F. on the i German cruiser Prinz Eugen off Norway illustrates once more the contest of sea and air power which is a feature of this war. The conclusion j reached by most observers is that the | air attack has a good chance of. com- j plete success if the vessel itself is unprotected by aircraft. Losses on both sides in the Mediterranean, the Indian Ocean, and the wide waters of the south-west Pacific- and adjacent seas are evidence in confirmation. The Prinz Eugen, this time as last, when she escaped from Brest with the Scharnhorst and Gneisenau, was heavily escorted by fighter aircraft, and British planes had their share of casualties in this latest attack in which the cruiser was damaged, but not apparently sunk. Apart from "umbrella" air protection the Prinz Eugen is. a tough type" of warship, probably tougher than British cruisers of the same tonnage, several of which have fallen to air attack, though in circumstances more favourable to the attack. It is generally conceded that the tor-pedo-carrying plane is more formidable to the heavier warship than is the dive-bomber. The' danger from landbased planes is probably greater than ever in narrow seas, both in the West and in the East. Naval Command Change. The change in the naval supreme command in the Mediterranean. RearAdmiral Sir Henry Harwood taking over from Admiral Sir Andrew Cun- j ningham, is no reflection on Admiral Cunningham, any more than was his transfer to the Far East on Admiral j r'l\ James Somerville from the Western Mediterranean, or General Bobbie's retirement from Malta, Lord Gort taking over. Modern warfare is singularly trying to leaders in every I sphere, and they deserve a rest as much j as the men under them. There is also the advantage of opportunity to I younger men and of a fresh, approach to difficult problems. In this respect things are better in this war than they were in the last. |"Landolphia." | P.8.-S., who knows Africa well, contributes an interesting note on "landolphia," the African plant from which it is hoped to produce rubber, mentioned in the news last week. "The landolphia is common throughout Southern Africa but grows most profusely in Natal, Zululand, and Swaziland. It grows in bush form, the average bush reaching a height of about three or four feet. The vine branches are similar to tubers and when cut or bruised exude a thick pure white glue-like liquid. This, coagulating to a sticky substance, can be rolled between the fingers, when it becomes a resilient rubber-like material. I have seen it growing also in Rhodesia and in the Protectorate of South-west Africa, but do not recollect that any use was made of it by either natives or whites except a tale that it has medicinal pi-Qperties and is occasionally used by native women."