NAVAL ENCOUNTER

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 41, 17 August 1942, Page 5

NAVAL ENCOUNTER

CLOSE-RANGE DUEL REPORTED

(By Teleoraph—Press Association— Copyright.) (Special Australian ; Correspondent.) ■■' SYDNEY, August 16. The full-scale naval battle in the Solomon Islands area continues. No further official details have been announced, but in Washington a naval spokesman states that American and Japanese warships engaged in a terrific gunfire duel at close range. With air superiority, the Allied planes are also bombing enemy ships. In the land fighting the United States marines are reported to have taken thousands of prisoners and to have inflicted heavy casualties, bin there is still no indication of a collapse in the enemy resistance. The Allied casualties are also heavy; the bridgeheads were gained at considerable cost. . A report that the American forces have made a bridgehead on a fifth island—either New Georgia or Isabel— —is not yet confirmed. None of the islands on which the attacking forces have landed are yet fully occupied, and strong enemy opposition is being maintained. ~ , . A bridgehead on Isabel, which is one of the larger islands on the .eastern ; side of the Solomons, would indicate, that the United States forces are dnv-] ing northward on both sides of the group. JAPS SEND HEAVY SHIPS. The Japanese are known to have flung into battle naval reinforcements, including heavy ships, from thenbase at Truk in the Caroline Islands north of the Solomons. Well-informed American opinion is that, while the latest news does not •nve much room for optimistic speculation, it is generally encouraging. The earlier reports that warships are escorting supply vessels to the Solomons indicate that the United States Navy controls the sea lanes ivom Australia and New Zealand, and is able to move tip reinforcements as required. , ' , ■' Raids by Allied aircraft on Japanese troops and installations, south-east of Timor, following the earlier attacks on enemy shipping in the same area, are held to support the view that the enemy has been preparing an early counter-thrust to relieve the pressure on the Solomons.